


With Arms Wide Open

by LightLeadingMe



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Unconventional Families, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-07-28 21:11:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20070652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightLeadingMe/pseuds/LightLeadingMe
Summary: With the USO Tour behind her, Fat Amy returns to New York to find out she's pregnant.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> (this fic is a continuation of I Think That I Love Him, Is That Bad? but can also be read as a stand-alone)

Beca eyed her best friend from where she sat at the kitchen table, her arms crossed over her chest and her mind running wild with curiosity. Fat Amy was sitting on her small bed in the corner, her bottom lip caught between her teeth and her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at her phone. The clothing rack was pushed out of the way so the brunette had a clear view of Amy, and she didn't like at all what she was seeing. 

In the many years the music producer knew the Australian, there wasn't much Amy did that Beca didn't notice. She knew Amy and Bumper were sleeping together their first year at Barden, she knew Amy avoided the subject of her life in Australia (a fact she finally understood two weeks ago when she found herself and the rest of the Bella's in a dangerous hostile situation at the hands of Amy's father), and she knew the blonde put on a tough front, but on the inside she was complete goo and quite sensitive. 

So, as she fiddled with the wrapper on her granola bar and tilted her head to the side, watching Fat Amy stand up and begin pacing the tiny apartment, Beca felt a sense of worry begin to settle in her chest. Amy was fidgeting with her phone, glancing at it and then letting out a deep sigh, shaking her head, and returning to her pacing before repeating. Beca was unsettled and she cleared her throat, setting the granola bar down on the table, but froze when the sound of Amy's phone alarm began to go off in her hand. She watched cautiously as Amy stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the device before lifting a shaking finger to the screen, swiping the alarm off. 

The blonde took two large steps to the sink at the back of the apartment where the not-so-private-bathroom was located (the toilet was literally only blocked by the clothing rack that they moved back and forth) and Beca quickly stood up to follow. She stepped up behind her friend, reaching a tentative hand out and placing it on her shoulder. She was surprised she felt Amy's upper body literally shaking beneath her palm and she stepped to the side to peer at her friend's anguished expression.

"Ames?" she asked softly. "Are you okay?" Her eyes stayed on Amy's face, but Amy's gaze was staring down at the sink and it was at this moment that Beca realized her roommate was holding something other than her phone in her hand. Dropping her eyes to the object, Beca couldn't contain the gasp that escaped her throat.

Held delicately between Fat Amy's trembling fingers was a positive pregnancy test. 

* * *

Aubrey smiled at the woman across the counter from her as she grabbed her groceries in her hands. She stepped out of the market and on to the streets of New York City, joining the hustle and bustle of people around her. Only days after returning from France, Aubrey quickly packed up her life and moved to the city, not far from where her friends lived, and started enrolling in classes to become a doula. Her relief in finally opening up to her friends and her father about what she really wanted to do with her life gave her a confidence she never knew she lacked. She felt like her adult life was finally starting and she was able to finally take a deep breath and fully let it out. 

She and her father were rebuilding their relationship and growing closer than ever, a dream Aubrey never thought would come true, and she had the Bella's to thank for it. If you would have told her seven years ago that the group of women she had just recruited would become her closest and dearest friends, Aubrey would have cursed your name to the acapella gods and laughed in your face. 

With a smile, as the tall woman thought about her sisters, Aubrey turned the corner towards her apartment just one block away when she felt her cell phone ringing in the pocket of her jeans. She grunted, shifting the grocery bags in her hands and reached in to dig her phone out. Her thumb swiped quickly to answer the call that was seconds away from going to voicemail and she raised the device to her ear.

"Hey Chlo, what's up?" she greeted with a smile.

"Aubs," Chloe's voice sounded worried on the other line and the blonde's smile immediately fell from her lips.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Her pace quickened and she now took large strides to her apartment, desperate to reach her destination as quick as possible so she could drop her groceries and tend to whatever was going on with Chloe.

"Everything's fine," Chloe said gently, obviously picking up on the panic in Aubrey's tone. "It's just... how fast can you get here?"

Finally reaching the front of her building, Aubrey stopped, dropping the grocery bags on the ground so she could dig out her keys. 

"I'll be there in 10."

* * *

Chloe set her phone down on the bed she shared with Beca and looked towards Amy's bed with a pang in her chest. The blonde was finally asleep after a panic attack and screaming match with Beca. Chloe had arrived home to utter chaos, coming to the conclusion that a cat peeing on her at work was definitely not the worst part of her day. She glanced down at her scrubs and grimaced, realizing she hadn't changed yet and the smell of cat pee was starting to reek. She quietly shuffled over to the chest of drawers against the wall and pulled out a sweater and a pair of leggings. She pulled her red hair back into a ponytail and then started to change her clothes, trying to not make any noise for fear Amy would wake up in hysterics again.

She gathered her dirty scrubs off the floor when she was done and brought them to the hamper, piling them on top of Amy and Beca's clothes. She turned to the sink to wash her hands, but stopped when she saw the pregnancy test lying in the sink. Chloe bit her lip and reached her hand down, pinching the test tactfully between two fingers, setting it on the back of the sink where it wouldn't fall. She couldn't keep her gaze way from the white stick as she cleaned her hands, her mind running wild with questions. 

She couldn't get the full story out of either Beca nor Amy when she got home. The girls were arguing back and forth loudly and almost unintelligibly until finally Amy burst into hysterics and then proceeded to hyperventilate. Both girls had rushed to her side to calm her down, Beca holding on to her and Chloe coaching her to breathe as she ran her fingers through her blonde hair. Once her breathing was under control, Amy continued to cry and at Chloe's pleading eyes, Beca mouthed the words 'she's pregnant' over the top of Amy's head. 

Chloe rubbed her eyes and let out a deep breath. The water from the shower room shut off and a minute later, Beca emerged wearing a sweatpants and a racer-back tank top, her wet hair wrapped up in a towel on top of her head.

"She still out?" the brunette asked gently, glancing at Amy's bed.

Chloe nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why were you guys screaming at each other, Becs?" She sat on their shared bed and watched Beca take her hair out of the towel and pick up a hair brush. 

Beca ran the brush through her knotted hair and looked down at Chloe. Her eyes were hesitant and guarded, clearly unsure if she should say what was on her mind. Luckily for her, the conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door and Chloe narrowed her eyes when Beca let out a sigh of relief as she spun around to answer it.

Aubrey stepped into the apartment quietly, taking in the concerned looks on her friend's faces before averting her attention to the sleeping form on the bed.

* * *

Amy woke up to the feeling of a hand rubbing her back soothingly. She frowned and her swollen eyes fluttered open to see the face of Aubrey smiling at her. It was now dark outside, the Australian realizing she must have been asleep for hours. The apartment lights were off and she could clearly make out the sound of Chloe's snoring from across the room. Aubrey was lying on the bed with Amy and the younger woman realized she was completely wrapped around the former Bella leader. She blinked rapidly a few times, trying to make sense of what was going on when the events of the afternoon suddenly flashed through her mind. 

Tears welled in her eyes and her bottom lip began to tremble, her hand that was on Aubrey's back gathering the material of her shirt between her fingers. Aubrey brought her lips to Amy's forehead, her hand still caressing her back, and then looked into the girl's hazel eyes. 

"It's okay, Amy," she whispered. "We'll help you through this, every step of the way. Whatever you decide to do, we all love you and support you, okay? You're not alone."

Amy shook her head as best she could in a lying down position and sniffled, trying to control her emotions. "I can't tell him, Brey. We said our goodbyes months ago. I don't know what to do." Her voice cracked and a sob slipped out, tears falling down her nose.

Aubrey moved her hand to Amy's face, brushing the tears away with the pad of her thumb. "Who, Ames?"

Amy bit her bottom lip, trying to stop it from quivering to no avail. "Bumper."

If Aubrey was surprised, she didn't show it. Her eyes held nothing but warmth and comfort for the woman in her arms. "Is that why you were yelling at Beca?"

"She doesn't understand, Brey. My relationship with Bumper was so fucked up. Beca thinks if I just tell him then everything will be okay, but it won't. We finally moved on and now I'm pregnant and I've fucked it all up again."

"Amy, did you tell Beca any of this?" Aubrey asked, looking into her red-rimmed eyes. "Did you explain what happened a few months ago when she found you crying after Bumper left?" She watched Amy shake her head and she sighed, a smile tugging her lips. "You know we can't read your mind, babe?" At the confused look on the young girl's face, Aubrey restrained herself from laughing. "Amy, you claim to be an open book, but you're the most secretive person I know. How are we supposed to help you and support you when none of us even know you're going through a rough time?"

"Are you seriously reprimanding me right now?"

"No, I'm telling you about yourself so maybe you can let that wall down." 

"I don't have a wall up-"

"Patricia."

Amy's mouth clamped shut and she glared, but Aubrey glared right back. Shifting slightly, Amy averted her eyes from the strong gaze and sighed. "I don't know what to do when someone cares about me. No one in my life really cared about me until I met you guys. The second someone starts to get close, I shut them out. It's the main reason Bumper and I broke up."

Aubrey hummed and tilted her chin back, regarding Amy's honest expression. "There she is," she whispered. "There's the girl I've been dying to meet all these years."

Amy rolled her eyes, but a smile broke out and Aubrey grinned back. She shivered when Aubrey started to rub her back again and felt her body finally begin to relax. "What do I do, Brey?"

Again, Aubrey kissed Amy's forehead before settling further into the covers. "The most important question you need to ask yourself is - do you want this baby?"

Amy stared blankly at Aubrey and her hand subconsciously slid from around the American's small waist to her own stomach. A feeling of complete calm and comfort settled in at the small gesture and Amy was surprised at herself. She never thought about becoming a mother, not at her young age, but now that the opportunity was here and well underway, she couldn't suppress the utter excitement that washed over her. Her face broke out into a huge grin and her eyes lit up, a new wave of tears gathering in her eyes.

"I'm going to be a mum, Aubrey."


	2. Chapter 2

The doctor's office was cold. Amy's eyes flitted from the artwork adorning the walls alongside the medical posters that showed the different stages of a woman's pregnancy. Goosebumps were risen on her skin and she was sure her nipples were standing at attention through the hospital gown they forced her in. Her long hair draped over her shoulders, her hands placed over her stomach. Aubrey stood beside her, her nose buried in a medical magazine while Beca sat on a chair in the corner of the room, trying her best to look anywhere but at the vivid images displayed amongst the room. 

Since discovering her pregnancy a week before, Amy spent her days panicked and worried. If she did her math correctly, she would have been two months along at this point. She didn't feel much different until after they returned from the USO Tour when she suddenly realized her period was late. The most worrisome thought was that she fought off a bunch of men and then jumped from a yacht, hitting a fishing boat before landing in the water. She had no inkling she was pregnant at the time and now she was terrified she hurt the baby. Beca and Aubrey tried their best to reassure her, but it didn't help her one bit. Aubrey made an appointment for Amy at the OBGYN and luckily was able to get her in quickly. 

"Patricia Hobart?" a woman asked as she entered the room.

Amy's pulse quickened with nerves and she sat up straighter in the examination chair. "It's Amy, actually," she said, reaching her hand out to shake with the doctor's. "Fat Amy."

The doctor's smile faltered and she glanced at the other two women in the room before shaking her head. "Right, I'm Doctor Landbough. I hear we're doing a sonogram and check up today?"

"Yes," Amy said. "I found out I was pregnant a few days ago."

"We did a home-pregnancy test," Aubrey chimed in. "Three of them."

"But a few weeks ago we were in the South of France," Beca spoke up, stepping closer to the bed. "And we got ourselves into a sticky situation and long story short, Amy fell off a yacht without realizing she was preggers and we need to know the baby is okay."

"Okay, whoah," the woman held up her hands, a smile on her face. "A lot of information was just thrown at me at once, ladies. Let's take it one step at a time." She turned her attention to Amy and set her clipboard down. "Ffff- Amy... Why don't we do the sonogram first so we can take a look at the little tyke and make sure things are okay. Then we can do some further testing to find out how far along you are. Sound good?"

"Yes, doc," Amy nodded. She looked up at Aubrey who reached down and grabbed her hand for support. 

"I'll be right back, ladies." The doctor nodded at them and then left the room, the door shutting softly behind her. 

Amy let out a long breath, squeezing Aubrey's hand. Beca came up to the chair and put her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Babe, everything is okay."

"I'm so nervous," she admitted. "The other day I was freaked out because I was pregnant and now I'm freaked out because I might have hurt my baby and not realized it."

"You have to stop blaming yourself," Aubrey told her. She saw the stricken look written all over Amy's face and smiled warmly. "Take a deep breath, Ames. I'm sure you and the baby are fine."

The door of the room opened and Doctor Landbough entered again with a nurse pulling the sonogram machine in behind her. "Ladies, this is Nurse Allie, she'll be assisting me with your check up today. Allie, this is Amy and..." She paused, looking between Aubrey and Beca. "I'm so sorry, I didn't get your names?"

Amy spoke up before the girls could. "This tall drink of water is Aubrey and short-stack over here is Beca. They're my best friends."

"Lovely to meet you girls," the nurse greeted them. 

"Right," the doctor said, clapping her hands together. "Let's take a look at that baby, Amy."

Beca grabbed Amy's other hand on the opposite side of the bed while the nurse and doctor got the machine ready. They lifted Amy's hospital gown and squirted the cool gel onto her stomach, using one of the tools to spread it around. The monitor flipped on and all three girls held their breath, staring intently at the black and white screen. 

"Okay, so you see this little dot right here?" the doctor pointed to the screen and they all nodded, narrowing their eyes. The doctor looked over at Amy, a wide smile on her face. "That's your baby."

Tears that Amy didn't even realize had gathered in her eyes spilled down her cheeks. "Is it okay, though?" she asked, her lip trembling and her hands squeezing Aubrey and Beca's for dear life. "Nothing is wrong with it right?"

"It is a little too early to tell, but from what I'm seeing, everything looks perfectly normal," she said and they all breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll have to run a few more tests, but you and baby seem to be doing just fine."

"Oh thank God," Amy gasped. "I was so scared." 

Aubrey rubbed Amy's forearm and brought her hand to her mouth, placing a small kiss on her knuckles. "See, Ames? I told you there was nothing to worry about."

* * *

The cab drive home was filled with happy chatter. The girls fawned over the sonogram pictures happily and discussed baby names. Amy had to wait a few weeks to find out if she was having a boy or a girl, but Beca picked up a book of baby names in the gift shop before they exited the building anyway. They huddled together and searched the book for the most ridiculous names, sharing jokes and laughter in the backseat. It wasn't until Amy was back inside the apartment, sitting on her bed with her hands on her stomach as Beca cooked dinner that a nagging thought in the back of her head finally made it's way forth. 

She had to tell Bumper. 

Nothing about her relationship with her ex was normal. They slept together off and on for three years and then officially dated for two years before ultimately splitting up. They fought constantly during those two years together, most of the fights started by Amy. Bumper grew tired of fighting and after a huge screaming match he just stopped responding to her, keeping his eyes down and letting her throw insult after insult at him until finally she left.

He didn't chase after her.

That was probably the hardest part for Amy. Knowing their relationship was done took a toll on the woman and she acted like everything was okay, but in reality she was falling apart. It was almost a year before they ran into each other again in a shop while she was buying some things for her street show. They ended up back at the apartment and in Amy's bed.

Their rendezvous a few months ago before the USO Tour was a goodbye - something they never got to say to each other. It was closure for both of them and Amy was grateful she was able to move on. It hurt, but she felt stronger and started to move past it. When the USO Tour came about, she jumped at the chance to get away for a while and spend time with her best friends. She had no idea that would turn into a shit-show also, thanks to Fergus. 

She honestly never thought she would have to see Bumper again, but as she stared down at her belly, her finger tracing small circles through her shirt, she realized she couldn't live with herself if she didn't tell her ex he was going to be a father. He deserved to know about their child and no matter all the support her friends provided, she wanted her child to grow up with a mother and a father. 

"Ames," Chloe's voice sounded and Amy snapped her head up to look at the redhead standing by her bed. "Dinner's ready."

Amy nodded and started to get off the bed when she saw her phone lying by her pillow. She hesitated before reaching out to grab the device and then stood up. "I'll be right back, guys." She didn't offer an explanation and Beca nor Chloe asked for one as they watched her leave the apartment. 

She paced in the hallway, her heart racing and her fingers trembling as she dialed the number from memory. It rang and rang in her ear and she was just about to hang up when suddenly Bumper's voice timidly rang out. 

"Amy?" he answered slowly, obviously confused as to why she was calling.

Amy's throat tightened and tears gathered in her eyes. "H-hey," she choked out. 

"Hey," he said back, sounding even more suspicious than before. "Is everything okay?"

She squeezed her hand into a fist, her nails digging into her palm. "Yeah, totally fine," she forced out with a smile, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Um, I- I know we broke up and we kinda, had that thing a few months back, but we never, um, got to actually talk?"

"You wanna get a smoothie?" he interrupted.

Amy's eyes widened, surprised he picked up on her intentions so quick. "Yeah... Yes, that would be great. Wait, are you even in New York?"

He chuckled and she ignored the way her heart fluttered at the sound. "I've been here for six months," he explained, humor evident in his voice. "Got a job at a radio station. It pays shit, but they let me DJ every now and again."

"Wow," she breathed out, biting her bottom lip. "That's-"

"Bumper! Dinner's ready!" a female voice suddenly sounded on his end. It was just an echo, but Amy clearly heard the woman.

"I'll be right there, Steph!" he called back, holding the phone slightly away from the speaker. "Sorry about that, Ames. I gotta go, but hey, when did you want to grab that smoothie?"

A knot had formed in Amy's throat the second she heard the other woman and she was stunned to silence. It was obvious he was in a relationship. He moved on and now she was about to barge right back into his life and fuck it all up. Clearing her throat, she shook her head and willed her tears away. "Look, we don't have to-"

"No, no," he said sincerely. "I wanna see you, Ames. Tell me a date and time and I'll be there. I'll even pay."

She couldn't help but smile, despite the fact that her broken heart was cracking even more. "All right," she said, her accent thicker than normal due to her emotional state. "How about Saturday at nine-thirty?"

"That's perfect," he said. Another shout sounded on the phone, but this time it was unintelligible. Bumper held his hand to the speaker and she could hear some shuffling and another shout back. "You still there?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied, her voice shaky.

"Great, I'll see you then."

* * *

Amy entered the cafe cautiously, clutching her phone tightly in her hand. She had her hair pulled back into a ponytail, her pink shirt flowing over her stomach and her jeans fitting a little more snug than the last time she wore them. Her eyes scanned the busy room and then settled on the back of her ex-boyfriend's head. He was sitting at a booth by the window, two smoothies already laid out in front of him. She took a deep breath in and tried to psych herself up, but with each step she took towards him, her nerves just intensified. 

"Amy," Bumper greeted with a warm smile as he stood from the table. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, his arms encircling around her waist.

He was making this way more difficult for her. 

Nonetheless, she hugged him back, taking in the familiar scent of his aftershave, and then pulled away with a shy grin. "I see you ordered my favorite," she said, gesturing to the smoothie on the table.

"Strawberries and cream," he replied knowingly as they sat down. He caught her eyes across the table and winked. "I know my girl."

Amy licked her lips and looked down at the table, trying to hide her jealous expression. "So, who is Steph?"

Bumper's eyebrows rose up into his hairline in slight amusement. "Cutting right to the chase, are we?" he laughed, but she could tell it was forced. He was nervous too. "Umm, Steph is my girlfriend. We've been together for about two months."

Amy nodded and took the wrapping off her straw before shoving it into her smoothie. She took a few large gulps and then sat back, placing her hands over her stomach. She opened her mouth to inquire more about Bumper's relationship, but she caught his eye-line as he stared down at her hand placement and quickly leaned forward again, putting her elbows on the table. Since finding out about the baby, Amy had grown very accustomed to rubbing her belly - it was a comforting gesture and it helped relax her. She could have cursed herself for doing it at that moment, though.

"Two months, 'ey? You didn't really waste anytime after we last saw each other." It just slipped out and she berated herself, wishing she said anything else. "Sorry, I-"

"No," he shook his head, amusement dancing in his eyes. "No, it's fine." He shrugged and stirred his straw around in his smoothie as he looked down at the peach colored liquid. "We met through Jesse, actually. They went to high school together and when he found out I moved here, he told her to look me up. So, she did and here we are." He looked back at her, regarding her expression. "She's really funny. You'd like her."

Amy nodded slowly and averted her gaze again. "Well, I'm- uh, happy for you." She tried to sound sincere, but it fell flat.

"No you're not," he smirked.

Amy looked up and rolled her eyes, hating that he knew her so well. "I'm trying to be."

He grinned and reached across the table, placing his hand on top of hers. Leaning in, he caught her eye again and his face turned serious. "What's the real reason you wanted to see me, Ames?"

Amy's heart rate picked up again and she bit her lip, staring into his brown eyes. She had to tell him, there was no way out of it. For two days, she agonized over whether or not she should tell him about the baby now that she knew he was in a relationship. She couldn't live with herself if he didn't know. She didn't know how he was going to react, though, and that's what scared her most. 

"I have something to tell you," she started. "And I don't know how you're going to take it, but it's something that you need to know."

His face became concerned and he squeezed her hand in his tighter. "Amy, what is it?"

She took a deep breath, feeling her body begin to tremble. "I'm pregnant."

Bumper continued to stare at her, his eyes boring into her green orbs as the words settled in his brain. She saw his mouth open and close, practically gawking at the news, and she quickly began to rant on nervously. 

"You don't have to do anything if you don't want to," she began. "I understand if this is too much and you just want to forget about me and the baby. We ended things a while ago and I'm not trying to trap you, believe me. I just had to tell you because I think you deserve to know you're going to be a father and-"

"Whoah, stop," he held his hand up, interrupting her. "Forget about you?" he repeated, his voice filled with disgust. "One - Amy, I could never forget you, so get that through your head right now. Okay?"

Her lips parted, ready to reply, but he gave her a look and she clamped her mouth shut again.

"Two," he continued. "Forget about our baby? You should know me well enough that I would want nothing more than to be there for my child, Amy. How could you even say that?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling tears burn her eyes. "I just don't want you to feel obligated-"

"Obligated?" he laughed humorlessly. "Of course I'm obligated, Amy. I was there, too. Don't tell me what I feel."

He was angry and she shook her head, hating how the conversation was going. "I just needed to tell you, okay? What you do with the information is up to you."

"Goddamn it, Amy!" he exclaimed, causing her to jump in surprise and gaining the attention of a few people nearby. He looked around with an apologetic smile and the leaned in close, his voice low. "Stop trying to push me away."

Her jaw dropped and her eyes narrowed, feeling her own anger rise up. "I'm not pushing you away. I'm telling you the truth!"

"Yes, you are," he accused with a pointed finger in her direction. "You're acting like telling me is the noble thing to do, but then you turn around and tell me I don't have to be there for you and the baby if I don't want to? What kind of bullshit is that?"

She wiped at her eyes, making sure the tears didn't escape, and sat back, taking a deep breath. "Okay, stop. Let's just stop for a minute and backtrack."

Bumper wiped a hand down his face and let out a long breath before crossing his arms over his chest. "Listen," he said in a final tone. "I want to be there, Amy. One hundred percent. I want to know everything that's going on. I want to go to the doctor appointments, I want to be there when my child is born. I will not under any circumstances abandon you." 

"Bumper, I-"

"Please, Amy," he whispered, his own emotions getting the best of him. "I know our relationship ended poorly, but I still want you in my life. And now you're pregnant and I don't want our child to grow up with parents who don't get along. We both know what that's like first hand."

Amy gulped, swallowing down the last of her tears. "Okay."

For the first time since she broke the news, a smile formed on Bumper's lips. "I'm gonna be a daddy," he said softly.

Amy let out a snort, recalling herself saying the same thing when she came to terms with the pregnancy. She leaned over to grab his hand, but Bumper suddenly stood up from the table. She looked at him, utterly confused, until he gestured for her to stand up with him. She slowly got to her feet and stood before him for only a few short seconds before he wrapped her in his arms, his lips pressing against her temple. Amy buried her nose in the collar of his shirt and held him back tightly. Bumper rubbed her back soothingly and they just stood there together, taking comfort in each other in the middle of a public cafe. 

"I'm sorry I blew up on you," he whispered in her ear. 

"I'm sorry, too," she admitted. "I don't mean to push you away."

"I know, baby." He kissed her hair and then pulled back from the embrace, his hand cupping her jaw.

"Bumper," she mumbled, her green eyes glistening. "What about Steph?"

He shook his head, his thumb wiping under her eye before a tear could fall. "You let me worry about her, okay? You and this baby are first and foremost."

She grinned at him and felt a huge weight finally lift off her chest. They simultaneously broke apart and sat back in their chairs to resume their neglected smoothies. 

Maybe everything was going to be okay.


	3. Chapter 3

_"You ever want kids?"_

_He could feel her body tense at the words. Bumper looked down at the woman in his arms, their nude bodies still overheated from their last round of mind-blowing sex. Her arm was tossed over his stomach and her leg was snug between his thighs, a comforting position she liked to take post-coital. Her long blonde hair tickled his chest as she shifted on top of him and he heard her clear her throat. _

_"Wh-why do you ask?"_

_Bumper took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. His fingers played with the strands of hair he could reach and he turned his eyes to the ceiling. "I don't know," he answered truthfully. "I was just thinking about the future and how nice it would be to have a kid one day."_

_A hum is her only response and he began to regret bringing up the subject. Amy disentangled herself from his arms and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Bumper cursed under his breath and quickly sat up as well, reaching a hand out to place on her shoulder so she wouldn't get up._

_"Baby, listen," he said gently, scooting himself closer to her. "I'm sorry. I know you like to live in the moment and hate talking about the future. I shouldn't have said anything."_

_Amy sighed, keeping her gaze down at the floor. "We've been together a long time, Bumper," she began. "I love what we have and I don't want to... complicate things."_

_He moved himself so his legs were on either side of her thighs and pressed his chest into her back, his arms sliding around her waist. "I personally don't think having kids one day will complicate things-"_

_"Bumper..."_

_"But I understand you're not ready to have this conversation," he finished, placing a kiss to her neck. "I love you, Amy."_

_She turned her head to stare into his warm eyes for a moment before she leaned in and kissed him sweetly. _

_She didn't say it back._

* * *

Amy snapped from her memory at the sound of her phone ringing. She sat up in her bed and dug through the mass of blankets in search of the device, finally finding it just before it went to voicemail. 

"Hello?" she answered, her voice laced with sleep.

"Ames," Bumper's voice sounded on the other line. "Hey, I was wondering you would like to come over for dinner tonight."

Her eyebrows furrowed and she tossed the blankets off her legs, a sudden hot flash washing over her. She couldn't tell if it was caused by the hormones or the sudden invite to her ex-boyfriend's house, but she didn't have time to analyze it right now. "Err, dinner?" she asked, standing up slowly. "Tonight?"

"Yeah," he replied, and she could practically see the grin on his face through the phone. "Steph really wants to meet you."

A sinking feeling suddenly hit her stomach at the mention of his girlfriend. Since telling Bumper about her pregnancy a few weeks ago, Amy had been speaking to him every day; whether it was over texts or phone calls, they never went a day without talking. They coordinated a doctor's appointment together just yesterday, a check up for her second trimester which was in just a few short days, and every day she asked if Bumper's girlfriend knew about her. He kept telling her he was waiting for the right time to tell her and Amy silently questioned how his girlfriend wasn't suspicious of him sneaking off to make phone calls or texting her so often. She would have been a jealous wreck if she knew her boyfriend was texting some other random girl. 

"So you told her then?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

"Yup," he said triumphantly. "She took it surprising well actually. She insisted you come over for dinner once the news settled."

'_Probably to scope out the competition_,' her mind raced, but she shook her head, waving the thought away. "Um, okay. What time?"

"She just put the chicken in the oven so, how does an hour sound?" 

Amy glanced at the clock and then down at herself. She was void of makeup, her hair a rat's nest in a bun atop her head, and her sweatpants and hoodie were worn out from her sleeping in them for two days straight. "Y-yeah, I'll see you in an hour. Text me the address."

"No, no. I'm coming to pick you up."

She rolled her eyes even though he couldn't see. "Bumper, I'm a grown-ass woman. I can-"

"No, Amy," he insisted, his tone final. "I'm coming to get you. I will not have the mother of my child navigating her way to my apartment on a Friday night in New York City."

"Are you seriously-"

"See you in an hour, Ames!"

She heard the click on the phone and pulled it away from her ear to stare at the screen as it flashed 'Call Ended - duration 5:42' and then went black. She scoffed and tossed the phone on her bed, rubbing a hand down her face in exasperation. She replayed the last few minutes in her head and as if the subject of the conversation suddenly dawned on her, Amy shrieked when she realized she was about to have dinner with Bumper and his girlfriend, and she began to scramble around the room in a frenzy. 

Forty-five minutes later, Amy was standing in front of the full length mirror hanging on the wall between her bed and the bed Beca and Chloe shared. She tugged at the pink maternity sweater she had bought recently and turned to the side to observe her skinny jeans. Chloe had taken her shopping last week for new clothes because she was tired of seeing Amy mope around the house in her sweats. She had to admit, the outfits Chloe picked for her were really cute and she was ever grateful she had something nice to wear to meet Bumper's girlfriend. It wasn't that she was competing, but it was definitely going to be weird and she knew that Steph would compare her relationship with Bumper to the relationship Amy had with him. 

"Why do I feel like I'm going on a first date?" Amy asked, leaning in close to check her makeup.

"Have you even been on a first date?" Beca joked from where she sat on Amy's bed, her phone in her hand as she scrolled through social media. 

Amy glared at Beca and then frowned, thinking the question over. "Shit," she said. "No, I haven't."

Beca raised her eyebrows and let out a chuckle. "Wait, seriously?"

Amy shrugged and walked over to her silver flats that were placed by the clothing rack, slipping her feet into them easily. "I never was in to the dating scene. I started casually hooking up with people when I was fifteen and-"

"Fifteen?!" Beca exclaimed, sitting up straighter on the bed. "My God, I was still watching cartoons at fifteen."

Amy's head fell back with laughter. "I totally believe that." She turned to the mirror one more time to make sure everything was in place. "I had a strange home-life, you know that. Any chance I could get to piss of Fergus, I took. He caught me many times with a few boy-toys I had. Sometimes I had two boys over and we would-"

"Okay," Beca held her hand up, standing from the bed, her face one of disgust. "Don't need the gory details, Ames."

Amy smiled and shook her head. "Your loss. But hey, if you ever need sex advice-"

Beca placed her hand on Amy's arm and nodded. "I know exactly who to call. Now," she stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest. "Let me look at you."

Amy smiled nervously and did a little spin for the girl, her hands delicately placed on her ever growing stomach. "Well?"

Beca grinned and leaned in to place a kiss on Amy's cheek. "You look gorgeous, as always."

"You sure?" she asked timidly. "It's not-" A knock on the door interrupted and Amy's eyes widened. "I'm gonna puke."

Beca snorted and rubbed her arm in comfort before turning to answer the door. "It will be fine," she tried to assure the blonde. She pulled the door open to reveal Bumper, leaning casually against the frame of the door with a cocky grin on his lips.

Amy forgot how much of a little shit he could be.

"Ladies," he greeted, stepping inside. "How are you on this fine eve?"

Both women rolled their eyes and Amy reached for her leather jacket hanging up on the coat rack. Beca watched as Bumper helped her into the jacket with amusement dancing in her eyes. He may be a little shit, but he still had manners. "You two have fun," she called out as they began to walk out the door. 

Amy shot her a pleading look over her shoulder as Bumper led her down the hall and Beca held up her thumbs in a 'good-luck' sign before closing the door.

* * *

Amy sat in the passenger seat with her hands folded neatly over her stomach, her legs crossed at her ankles, and her gaze set out the window as Bumper pulled away from his parking spot in front of her building. The car was filled with an awkward silence, the radio turned down low and the tension so thick Amy felt like she couldn't breathe. She had to do something to break the silence. 

Clearing her throat, Amy shifted in her seat and glanced at Bumper. "You really didn't have to pick me up," she told him. 

He shook his head, keeping his eyes on the road. "Baby, I told you I was not going to make you take a cab all the way to my apartment. Especially not in your condition."

Later she would contemplate what part of that reply made her more angry - the fact that he called her baby or the fact that he implied her pregnancy somehow made her handicap.

She turned her eyes to him, a glare set in place. "I've taken care of myself for the past twenty-five years, Bumper. I could have easily managed a twenty minute cab ride. And I suggest you don't call me '_baby_' in front of your girlfriend, dumb-ass."

"Don't start this," he sighed as he came to a stop light.

"Start what?" she exclaimed. "Why do you always assume I'm the one who starts a spat?"

"Because you are the one who starts it!" he suddenly yelled. "You don't let anyone take care of you, Amy! You're so goddamn stubborn and think you can do everything yourself, but you can't! I'm so sick of having to repeat myself over and over again that I care about you and I want to be there for you, but you always fucking push me away!"

Amy sat in silence beside him, her eyes wide in surprise. The night she found out she was pregnant, Aubrey told her almost the exact same thing. Without really knowing why, her eyes filled up with tears and started to spill down her cheeks. She sniffled and averted her eyes back out the window, but Bumper quickly picked up on her emotional state.

"Shit," he whispered, pulling the car over to the side and putting it in park. He turn to face her, his face filled with worry. "I'm sorry. Please don't cry." He ran a hand through his hair when she sobbed and he slammed his fist into the steering wheel. "Fuck!"

Amy jumped at his outburst and sat up straighter in her seat, reaching her hand out to place it on his forearm. "It's hormones," she breathed out, making up some excuse.

"No, I upset you. It's my fault. I should have just..." He put his forehead to the steering wheel, breathing deeply as he tried to calm down. "I don't want us to fight anymore, Amy. It's not good for you or the baby."

She moved her hand to the back of his head, her thumb brushing his ear. "It's not good for you either, Bumper." He raised his head to look at her and her hand moved down his face to cup his cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "You're right. I have a terrible habit of not letting anyone in. I'm gonna start working on that." She stared into his eyes for a moment longer, her mouth forming a smile. "Thank you for picking me up."

Bumper grabbed her hand that was on his face and turned his head, placing a kiss to her palm. He laced their fingers together and they sat there for a few moments, letting the tension settle between them as they stared into each other's eyes. 

A loud beeping sound in the car startled them both and they looked at the screen display to see Steph's name pop up to indicate a phone call. Bumper sighed when he felt Amy's hand slip from his and he pushed the 'answer call' button on his steering wheel.

"Hey, Steph," he said as he put the car in drive and pulled back into the streets.

"Hey, where are you?" his girlfriend's perky voice sounded over the sound system of the vehicle. "The chicken just came out of the oven and it's gonna get cold."

"Sorry, we hit some light traffic. We'll be there in ten minutes," he lied, glancing over at Amy. Her head was turned to the window again, her fingers tracing circles over her baby bump.

"Okay, great! See ya soon!"

The line clicked and Bumper cleared his throat, feeling the awkward silence start to fill the car again. He turned the knob on the radio and let the music fill the air, trying to diffuse the tension, but he felt it was no use. A minute after Steph's phone call ended, he felt Amy's hand grab his where it rest on the gear shift. Bumper glanced over and caught the small smile on Amy's lips and he let out a breath of relief. 

Their hands stayed together the rest of the drive.

* * *

Amy didn't know what to expect when they entered Bumper's apartment, but she was certainly surprised to be greeted by a tiny Yorkshire Terrier yapping at her feet. Bumper quickly reached down to pick up the dog and held it up to Amy. 

"I forgot to tell you, I got a dog," he laughed as the pup licked at him. "This is here is-"

"Ozzy Pawsborne?" she guessed, a smirk on her lips. She reached out to pet the little fella on the top of his head as Bumper gawked at her.

"How did you...?"

Amy chuckled. "You told me a few years ago that if you ever got a dog it was going to be a tiny and have a badass name."

The memory replayed in Bumper's head of the two of them lying together in her dorm room, eating chips and salsa and discussing pets. "Black Sabbath was playing on the radio," he recalled. 

"So I suggested the name Ozzy Pawsborne," she reminded him. 

"Man," he sighed, shaking his head. "I thought I was so clever when I named him, but it was your idea all along."

Amy laughed and entered the apartment, sliding her jacket off her shoulders to set on the coat rack on hanging on the wall. Bumper set the dog loose in the apartment and shrugged out of his jacket as well. 

"Steph?" he called out.

"In the kitchen!" a voice rang from further in the apartment.

Amy's nerves got the best of her again and she felt her stomach begin to knot. She followed Bumper down the hallway towards the living room that was just big enough for a couch and a TV, and then they turned through a doorway to the kitchen where a tall, thin brunette woman was stirring something in a pot on the stove. 

"Steph," Bumper addressed the woman, his hand resting on her lower back. She had a good inch on him without shoes on, something Amy would have normally found amusing, but she was too much of a nervous wreck to pay attention to now.

Steph turned around, setting the wooden spoon on the counter and looked at Amy. She opened her arms and before Amy knew what was happening, the woman had her in a tight embrace. 

"It's so nice to meet you!"

Her perky little voice sounded loud in Amy's ear and she winced. She threw a silent plea for help at Bumper over Steph's shoulder, but Bumper just laughed in return.

Steph pulled back from the hug, keeping her hands on Amy's shoulders. "Oh my God, you're absolutely gorgeous. You're glowing." She looked over at her boyfriend with a wide grin. "Look at her, she's glowing!"

Bumper's eyebrows raised up and he shoved his hands in his pockets, leaning against the counter. "Yup, she is."

Amy took in his expression and realized he was just as nervous for them to meet as she was. It kind of made her feel better. "Uh, thank you?"

Steph let out a dramatic gasp, placing a hand to her chest, her blue eyes sparkling. "You're Australian?" She spun around and smacked Bumper on the arm in reprimand. "Pooh Bear, you didn't tell me she's Australian!"

Bumper frowned, rubbing at his arm and Amy laughed at him. "I didn't know I needed to tell you that?"

The woman rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Amy, her eyes warily glancing down to her belly where Amy's hand was placed. "Well, you must be starving, eating for two, aren't ya?" She grabbed the plates from the counter and walked over to the kitchen table in the corner, placing them down. "You guys take a seat and I'll bring the food right on over."

Amy and Bumper sat at the table and shared a look as Steph made herself busy finishing the dinner. Their eyes locked and Bumper sent a silent apology over to his ex about Steph's hands-on personality. Amy waved him off as if it was no big deal, but reminded herself to make fun of him later when they were alone. 

"Okay," Steph said, bringing the chicken over to the table before sitting down. "Let's eat!"

The sound of silverware hitting plates filled the tiny apartment for only a few short moments before Steph decided to jump right in.

"So, Amy," she began, cutting her chicken into meticulous pieces. "How are you feeling?" Amy gave her a confused look and the woman giggled. "The pregnancy?"

"Oh," Amy blinked, poking some vegetables around on her plate. "I'm good, yeah. I haven't had any morning sickness really. My hormones are all fucked up though...." Her eyes widened when she realized her use of coarse language, not sure if Steph would find it rude. "Sorry, I didn't mean to cuss."

Bumper snorted behind his water glass and she glared at him. 

"Anyway, I'm doing all right," she continued. "I'm mostly just exhausted and annoyed that I don't fit into my favorite clothes anymore."

"Bumper tells me you guys have an appointment soon and you'll be able to find out the sex of the baby. That's so exciting!"

"I know I'm excited," Bumper interjected around a mouthful of food.

Amy smirked at him. "Yeah, my friends are dying to know what I'm having so they can go shopping for clothes. This kid is going to be so spoiled."

"Especially by Aubrey," Bumper added.

"Ugh, she's the worst!" Amy laughed. "I love her to death, but she's been spouting the importance of having a doula and breathing exercises and all that crap since I told her I was pregnant. It's driving me up a bloody wall!"

"Are you really surprised?" he asked, leaning forward. "This is the woman that literally beat down the door of your dorm room for a six-am morning cardio workout."

"Oh my God!" Amy exclaimed, clamping a hand to her mouth in laughter. "I forgot about that! You had to jump out a window three stories up so she wouldn't catch us in bed together."

"That woman was so obsessed with Beca and Jesse, she had no idea that you were the one getting Trebleboned since Hood-Night," he chuckled. 

Steph looked between the exes, utterly confused, but smiling in amusement. "It sounds like you guys had a lot of fun back in the day," she spoke up.

Amy and Bumper seemed to suddenly remember they were not the only two in the room and looked over at Steph before glancing at each other again.

"We really did," Amy said with a heartwarming grin. 

* * *

The rest of the dinner went smoothly and Amy found her nerves dissipating with each passing minute. Bumper was right, she did like Steph, though she could be a bit much at times. She could see why he liked her, but at the same time she was flabbergasted by them. Steph was the complete opposite of Amy. She always pegged Bumper to be a guy who had a certain type and she just figured she fit his type to a T, but after spending the evening with them, Amy noticed how easy they were with each other, how effortless their relationship looked, and that was something she and Bumper never had. 

When the dinner ended and the conversation came to a natural end, Bumper announced he was going to take Amy home. Amy was exhausted so she didn't put up a fight and she stood to go grab her jacket. As she slipped her arms in the sleeves, she watched Bumper and Steph walk down the hallway, whispering to each other before they shared a sweet kiss. Amy averted her eyes to her shoes, pretending like she didn't see anything and ignoring her sudden urge of jealously. They all exchanged goodbyes, Bumper telling Steph he'd see her when he got home, and then the ex-couple head down the stairs for his car. 

"Pooh Bear?"

Bumper's face flushed a deep red. "It took you two minutes."

Amy's face broke out into a huge smile. "What are you talking about?"

"She called me that stupid nickname three hours ago and it took you only two minutes of being alone to make fun of me for it," he explained as he drove.

"I think it's cute," she joked.

Bumper shook his head, but grinned nonetheless. "You hate nicknames."

"I do not. Technically my name is a nickname."

"That doesn't count," he said. "You gave yourself that name."

"How does that not count?"

"It just doesn't!"

"And who made you in charge of the rules on nicknames?"

He laughed and looked over at her when he stopped at a stop light. Without thinking, he reached over and grabbed her hand in his, bringing it to his mouth to place a kiss on her knuckles. 

"I missed you, Ames."

Amy rest her head back on the seat, her adoring eyes staring at him. She brought his hand to her lap, placing her other hand on top of it as the light turned green and the car began moving again. 

"I missed you, too."


	4. Chapter 4

The night was young; the sun setting behind the many tall buildings of New York City and the warm afternoon air turning cooler every minute. Aubrey sat at her bay window seat, a cup of tea held in one hand and a novel in the other. She had just returned home after a doula training class in the city and wanted nothing more than to spend the evening in silence, but of course, that was never going to happen. 

The loud, incessant knocking on her front door made her jolt and almost spill her tea all over her sweater. She sighed and swung her feet to the floor, setting the novel down on the cushioned seat before walking towards the door. She looked through the peephole and saw nothing but a blonde hair bun standing between a red head and a brunette. Aubrey rolled her eyes, silently laughing over the fact that her three friends were too short to see through the peephole of the door. She turned the knob and opened the door, her eyebrow raised in suspicion. 

"Ladies," she greeted them, stepping aside to allow them entry. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Beca, Chloe, and Amy all entered the apartment hurriedly, grins adorning their faces. They all unceremoniously dropped their jackets and purses on the floor of the entryway before making themselves at home in the living room. Aubrey shook her head and closed the door, following her friends and ignoring the urge to pick up their belongings. She set her mug of tea on the coffee table and sat down beside Amy on the couch, smiling when she received a kiss on her cheek from the Aussie. 

"Well?" she inquired, looking at all of their glee-filled expressions.

"Amy found out the baby's gender!" Chloe exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement.

"She refused to tell us the news until we were all together," Beca griped.

Aubrey's eyes widened and she turned to Amy. "Oh em aca-gee, Ames! Is it a boy or a girl?"

Amy looked at her three friends and stood up, with only slight difficulty, placing her hands on her belly. "Well, aca-bitches..." she said slowly, making sure she had their full attention. "In the next five months, I'll have a baby girl."

All three girls screamed, jumping from their sitting positions to hug the pregnant woman. Amy laughed, her arms holding on to her friends as they congratulated her. They fawned over her for a few minutes, talking a mile a minute about the baby shower preparations and what clothes they're going to buy for the little girl. 

"That's not the only news I have," Amy announced as she sat back down on the couch.

"Wait, what?" Beca asked, taking her previous spot on the loveseat. "What else is there? Is Bumper not the father?"

Amy glared at the her roommate as the other two girls let out a snort of laughter. "No, Bumper is definitely the father." She cleared her throat and took in a deep breath. "I'm moving out."

Beca and Chloe's jaws dropped, sadness immediately filling their eyes. 

"No worries," she reached over, grabbing each of their hands in hers. "I'll still be in the city, but I honestly should have moved out as soon as we got back from France. I have all this money now. Besides, you guys have been looking for a new place anyway now that Beca has a record deal."

"Well, yeah," Chloe shook her head, squeezing Amy's hand. "But we were always going to invite you to move in with us again."

Amy smiled warmly, touched by the sentiment. "And I appreciate that, but it will be too chaotic with the baby coming soon. We'd need like three bedrooms minimum and I don't want us to feel cramped. So tomorrow, Bumper and I-"

"Bumper?" Aubrey spoke up, her hand rubbing Amy's lower back soothingly. "Is he... are you two...?"

Picking up on what Aubrey was implying, Amy shook her head. "Oh, no. He has a girlfriend, remember? He's just helping me look for a place. He wants to make sure the home I buy will be safe enough for his daughter." She rolled her eyes at the last statement, but Aubrey could tell Amy wasn't really annoyed by Bumper's insistence to tag along apartment hunting. 

"That's so sweet of him," Chloe gushed, her blue eyes shining.

Beca nodded, grinning wide at her best friend. "We're gonna miss having you around, but I'm really happy for you, Ames."

* * *

"What was wrong with that place?" Amy asked in exasperation as Bumper led her down the steps of the fifth apartment building they visited.

"The plumbing was shit," he said nonchalantly.

"And when did you get your plumbing license?" she retorted, sliding her sunglasses over her eyes as they stepped onto the sidewalk.

"My dad is a plumber, Amy," he sighed. "I know bad pipes when I see them." His hand stayed on her lower back, his fingers caressing the spot through her button-down shirt, guiding her to the car.

Amy suppressed a shiver at the sensation and spun around to face him before they reached the vehicle. "We have been to five places already today and so far you have made up excuses for every single one!"

Bumper stared down at her, not at all phased by her outburst. "Amy, I told you I want you to find the perfect place. None of those apartments were worthy enough for you or our daughter."

She let out a growl and turned to open the car door in anger. Bumper contained a smile and moved around the driver side, getting in beside her. They drove for about ten minutes, the music on the radio the only sound filling the air, until Bumper pulled up to an apartment building Amy didn't have on her list.

"This looks..." she stared out the window up at the tall building. "Really nice, actually."

"Yeah," Bumper said, unbuckling his seat belt and turning the car off. "I saw it listed late last night and thought we could check it out. It's a little on the expensive side, but you don't have to worry about that, obviously."

Amy shrugged, glancing at him before opening the door. "Well, let's hurry up and check it out. I need food."

Bumper chuckled and together they exited the car, walking inside the apartment building. 

Twenty minutes later, they were following a realtor around the spacious loft. It had two bedrooms, an office, two bathrooms, and an open kitchen that led to the living room. The entirety of the living room walls were floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the city. It was a fairly new building so Bumper didn't have to ask as many questions about any work that needed to be done as he did with the other places they visited.

Amy fell in love with the space within the first few steps she took through the door. It was the perfect home for her to raise her daughter. The realtor spouted a few random things about the apartment to them and then handed over a few papers before walking to the kitchen so they could discuss their decision.

"Bumper," Amy breathed out, placing her hand on his arm. "This is it. I want to buy it."

Bumper smiled. "Are you sure? I don't want you to make any rash decisions. This place wasn't even on your list."

"But it's perfect. It's literally everything I want." She looked up at him in wonderment. "How do you know me so well?"

He shrugged, a blush rising to his cheeks. "I lived with you for two years, I picked up a few things."

She stared into his eyes, feeling his hand slide along her back again when suddenly she felt a weird sensation in her stomach. Her eyes widened and her hand immediately moved to her belly. Bumper noticed her change in demeanor and grabbed her shoulders, looking down at her in concern.

"What's wrong, baby? Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes flickering between her stomach and her face.

Amy opened her mouth to reply, but then she felt the movement again and she gasped. "Bumper, oh my God," she breathed out. "I think something's wrong?"

Internally, Bumper was panicking, but he held himself together for her. "What are you feeling? Are you in pain?"

Amy shook her head, unsure what was happening. Her mind began to go into overdrive and she started to shake. "Something doesn't feel right..."

"Okay, take a deep breath," he instructed her, seeing her begin to have panic attack. "I'm gonna put my hand on your belly okay? I wanna see if I can feel anything."

She nodded and watched him place both of his hands on either side of her stomach and together they stood in complete silence, waiting for it to happen again. After a moment of not feeling anything, Bumper began to rub her swollen belly and then he felt it, the smallest little kick against the palm of his hand. Amy gasped again, her fingers digging into his bicep and Bumper beamed at her.

"Ames," he whispered. "She's kicking."

Amy blinked rapidly, as if not understanding for a moment, and then she smiled, too. "She's kicking?"

Bumper nodded, stepping closer to her, his arm sliding around her back and his other hand still on her stomach where their daughter was moving. "She's fine," he assured her. "She's just saying hello."

Amy tilted her head back to look up at her ex, seeing his eyes staring down at her. Before she could even think about what she was saying, the words "move in with me" fell from her mouth.

Bumper raised his eyebrows. "What?"

Amy's cheeks burned red. "I'm going to need you around in my third trimester anyway. And you're going to be here all the time when she's born. It makes sense." She could see the hesitation in his eyes and a lump formed in her throat, afraid he was going to turn her down. "If you think Steph will have a problem, I can talk to her and-"

"Yes," he interrupted her, grinning happily. "I'll move in with you."

The lump in her throat grew larger and tears sprang to her eyes. "Really?"

"Absolutely!" he laughed, pulling her in for a hug. "And don't you worry about Steph. She's the last thing on my mind right now."

Amy squeezed him tightly to her, her nose buried in the collar of his shirt. Bumper turned his face so his lips brushed her ear as he spoke. 

"Please, for the love of God, pick up a book on pregnancy," he mumbled. "You just scared the crap out of me."

Amy threw her head back and laughed loudly, Bumper joining in with her.

"Sorry to interrupt," the realtor spoke as she entered the living room. "Have you two decided, yet?"

Amy and Bumper broke from their embrace and looked at each other. They shared a nod, their smiles wide, and then turned to the woman.

"We'll take it."

* * *

"I love Chinese food."

He looked over at the lounge chair that was sitting in the middle of their living room to see Amy stabbing her noodles with chopsticks. He grinned and took a bite of his own food from where he sat at the table they just finished moving in.

The apartment was slowly but surely coming together. It had taken a full week to decorate the bedrooms and the bathrooms and they were now almost done with the kitchen and living room. He had informed Steph about the new living arrangements and after two days of arguing, the woman finally gave up on changing Bumper's mind and accepted the fact that he was moving in with his ex. Since then, she made a point of dropping by any time of day, offering to help them move or cook them lunch or dinner. Bumper was appreciative of his girlfriend helping out and didn't mind seeing her all the time, but he could see the annoyance on Amy's face every time the doorbell rang and he felt bad.

Tonight was the first night they were free from her because she went out of town to visit her family for the weekend and Amy did not hide the fact that she was relieved. 

After finishing their dinner and cleaning up the dishes, they both retired to the couch in front of the wall-mounted TV. Bumper flipped through channels while Amy rubbed her swelling belly, her feet propped up on the coffee table. Her face scrunched up as a weird feeling settled in her stomach and she only had a few seconds before she realized she was about to puke. She scrambled to stand up and jogged down the hall, barely making it to the bathroom before she threw up her dinner in the toilet. 

Bumper had ran after her the second she stood up and quickly leaned down to pull her long hair away from her face as she wretched. He sat down beside her and rubbed her back in soothing circles. During a moment where she wasn't puking her guts up, Amy sat back and gasped, holding a hand to her stomach.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed.

Fearing the worst, Bumper sat up straighter in concern. "What?!"

Amy glanced at him, her face stricken. "She doesn't like Chinese food!"

Bumper stared at her for a few short seconds and then lost himself in a fit of laughter. Amy reached out and smacked him, but a small smile had formed on her mouth when she realized how ridiculous she sounded. 

After a few moments, when she was confident she was no longer going to spew, Bumper helped Amy off the floor so she could clean herself up. She brushed her teeth and washed her face while Bumper cleaned the toilet. She was about to walk back out to the living room, but Bumper grabbed her hips from behind and steered her in the direction of her bedroom.

"Oh no, missy," he said. "You're going straight to bed."

"Bumper-" she began to argue, but a yawn interrupted her and she glared at his knowing expression. "Fine."

He grinned and patted her ass as she walked into her room, earning him a sleugh of threats from the Aussie's mouth, all of which he ignored. He went into the living room and turned off the TV before walking around the rest of the apartment, turning off various lights and setting the security alarm. When he made his way back to the bedrooms, he pushed open Amy's partially closed door to make sure she was in bed and gasped at the sight before him.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, covering his eyes with his hands.

Amy let out a snort of laughter. "Seriously?" she scoffed. "It's nothing you've never seen before, Bump." She moved to grab the short night dress off her bed to cover her nude form, but the silky material was inside out and tangled somehow. "Damn it..." she cursed, trying to fix the garment in frustration.

Bumper peeked through his fingers to see her struggling with her pajamas and shrugged. He could look at his ex standing completely naked in front of him in a non-sexual way, right? He dropped his hand from his face and walked to stand in front of her, taking the pink dress from her hands. In a few short seconds he had the material sorted correctly and parted the opening, instructing Amy to lift her arms above her head so he could slide it on her body. Amy rolled her eyes, but complied, letting him dress her. 

As he pulled the dress over her body, his knuckles accidentally brushed against her breasts and both of their faces flushed a deep red. He avoided eye contact as he smoothed the material over her hips, making sure everything was in place, and then stepped back. He could see her nipples standing at attention through the thin gown, a reaction to his touch, and he cleared his throat, biting his bottom lip.

"Well, uh," he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Good night, Ames."

Amy watched him exit her room, leaving the door open just a crack so he could hear her if she needed him at any time during the night. Her body felt like it was on fire from just his little brush and an immediate throbbing settled between her legs. She read in her pregnancy book recently that hormones tend to run wild, but she didn't believe any of it until that exact moment. She ran a hand through her hair and turned out the bedroom light before crawling under the covers. 

She lay awake for about ten minutes before sighing. Reaching a hand over to the nightstand, Amy dug around in the drawer until she found her vibrator. She made sure it was charged and then moved the toy between her legs, granting herself some much needed relief.

Across the hall in his bathroom, Bumper was taking a very long, very cold shower, willing his own arousal to go away with the memory of his naked ex seared into his mind. 


	5. Chapter 5

_"Did you pick up the heavy whipping cream on the way home?" _  
  
_ She stared at him from across the tub, her eyebrow raised. "What do I look like, some sort of housewife?"_  
  
_ He rolled his eyes. "Of course not, but I needed that for dinner tonight."_  
  
_ "Well then you should have picked it up yourself," she shrugged as she went back to rubbing the soapy loofah on her arm. _  
  
_ "That's not the point, Amy," he grumbled. "I asked you if you could please pick it up." _  
  
_ "And I told you that if I had time, I would. But I didn't have time now, did I?" _  
  
_ "What, you didn't have time to pick up one ingredient from the store on your way home from drinks with your friends?" _  
  
_ Her eyebrows rose up in surprise. He usually backed down at this point, but tonight he was acting strange. Ever since she walked through the door and asked him to join her for a relaxing bath, he had this look on his face, one she couldn't quite place. She was quickly beginning to realize it was anger. _  
  
_ Instead of provoking him further, knowing this could full well turn into a fight very quickly, she set the loofah on the side of the tub and crawled over to him on her hands and knees. He kept his face stoic, watching her, his arms resting on the sides of the bathtub. She gave him a pout and leaned in, rubbing her nose against his._  
  
_ "I could give you something else to eat for dinner," she whispered seductively. "A different kind of cream." Her mouth descended on his, her full lips placing kisses over his. She pecked his mouth several times, receiving no response from him. She trailed her hand down his chest and between his legs, her fingers finding his member. She wrapped her hand around him and immediately felt his body respond to her touch as she pumped him up and down. She leaned back in to kiss him again, but Bumper suddenly pushed her back. Amy fumbled to sit back properly against her side of the tub as she slid around the slippery porcelain. She was about to yell at him for pushing her away, but then he was leaning over her, his hands pulling her legs apart and his face resting in her neck. _  
  
_ His cock pushed into her roughly and she gasped, surprised by the sudden intrusion. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and moaned as he started to buck wildly into her. Water sloshed all around them, some spilling over onto the floor with the force of his quick movements. Amy grabbed his head and lifted his face, wanting to feel his lips on hers as they fucked, but when she moved in to kiss him, Bumper turned his head, his eyes downcast. _  
  
_ She let out a chuckle, thinking he was messing with her and tried to kiss him again, but Bumper reared his face back and glared at her, his hips never ceasing his movements. Amy stared at him, her eyes wide and a lump forming in her throat. "Bump, baby-"_  
  
_ "This is what you want isn't it?" he growled, his eyes harsh. "You just want me to fuck you and make all the problems go away?"_  
  
_Amy shook her head and squeezed his biceps. This wasn't just angry sex - this was hate sex._  
  
_ He hated her._  
  
_Feeling her push him away, Bumper pulled out of her and he stood up in the tub, staring down at her in what could only be described as a look of disgust. He stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist as he left the bathroom. Amy stared at the empty doorway, her chest tight and mind screaming at her. She sat in the cooling water, replaying the past few minutes in her mind. She wanted to blame him for what just transpired, but no matter which way she spun it, the fault lied within her own actions. _  
  
_ Amy sighed loudly and slid down into the water, submerging herself beneath the surface._

* * *

"Amy?"

Amy's head snapped up as she was woken from her memories and she brought a hand to her chest, her heart beating fast from being startled. "Uh, yeah?" she called out.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Steph's voice rang out behind the bathroom door. "You've been in there a long while. Do you need help?"

Amy looked down at the bath she was sitting in, the bubbles now scarce and the water no longer warm. How long had she been daydreaming of memories past? "N-no," she shook her head. "No, I'm all right. I'll be out soon."

She reached over and pulled the drain plug, the water swirling down the pipes around her, and she moved on to her hands and knees with only slight difficulty. She leaned over the tub to grab the towel on the bench, but found her arms a tad too short for the reach. She grunted and tried to stand up, but her wet hand slipped and she lost her balance. With a shout, she fell over the edge and landed hard on her back, the plush rug beside the tub breaking her fall. Her hands immediately flew to her stomach, fear quickly taking over any pain she felt.

"Bumper!" she screamed out, tears forming in her eyes. "Bumper!"

She heard thundering footsteps approaching the door and then Bumper's voice on the other side. "Ames?!" he called. "Are you okay?"

"I fell," she choked, a sob escaping her. 

The door handle jiggled violently and it was at this moment that she realized she locked the door. She heard a loud curse and then a bang, the door swinging open and smacking against the wall. He literally kicked the door down. In a flash, Bumper was by her side, his hand caressing her face tenderly. Amy began to cry even harder, her hands reaching up to grab on to his shirt.

"Hey, it's okay," he said gently. He grabbed her by her wrists and pulled slowly, getting her into a sitting position. He reached over to snatch the towel she previously tried to pick up and wrapped it around her wet, naked body, vaguely aware of his girlfriend watching them closely by the doorway. Together they stood up, his arms wrapping around her waist, a hand cradling her lower belly. "Let's get you to your bed."

He guided her out of the bathroom and sat her on the edge of her bed, Steph trailing not too far behind nervously. Bumper saw her out of the corner of his eye and turned slightly away from Amy.

"Steph, go get the doctor's number off the fridge and a pack of ice out of the freezer," he instructed her.

The woman nodded and ran out of the room, leaving the ex-couple alone. Bumper wiped the tears from Amy's cheeks and unwrapped the towel from around her body. "Okay, baby, tell me what happened so I know what I'm looking for."

Amy sniffled, trying to control her crying. "I was trying to grab the towel when I slipped and fell on my back."

Bumper immediately turned her body slightly so he could search her back for any signs of bruising. Not seeing anything, he grabbed the discarded towel and began to dry the rest of Amy's body. "I'm gonna call the doctor and see if I need to take you to the hospital, but I think you're okay. You didn't hit anything else, right? Just your back?"

Amy nodded, her hand absently rubbing her stomach. "What if I hurt her?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion.

Bumper shook his head, wrapping her back up in the towel and then put his hand on top of hers. "She's gonna be okay, Ames. You both are." He kissed her forehead before he heard a throat clear in the doorway.

Steph, seeing the exchange between them, slowly walked into the room, holding out Bumper's phone and a slip of paper with the doctor's number on it as well as an ice pack. "Go ahead and call the doc, I'll sit with her," she told him sweetly.

Bumper thanked his girlfriend and made sure Amy was okay with Steph before he walked into the hall to dial the number. Steph sat beside Amy on the bed and ducked her head to catch her eye.

"Where do you want me to place the ice pack?" she asked.

Amy looked at Steph, biting her bottom lip. "You don't have to-"

"Amy," she placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let me help. Where does it hurt the most?"

Clearing her throat, Amy shifted slightly, feeling a twinge in her lower back and grimaced. "Right here," she whispered, reaching her arm around to point. 

Steph nodded and maneuvered the towel so she was still discretely covered and placed the ice pack where she pointed. Amy's body jerked and shuddered, her hand squeezing Steph's thigh as her eyes squinted shut.

"Fuck, that's cold!" the blonde shivered causing Steph to giggle.

"Baby," Bumper said, walking into the room.

Both girls looked up at him, but Steph noticed his eyes were on Amy only and she tried to suppress the look of disappointment that covered her face. 

"Do you feel any shooting pains in your abdomen?" he asked, crouching in front of Amy with the phone still at his ear. 

Amy shook her head. "No, my back is just a bit sore," she told him.

"She said her back is sore, doc," Bumper repeated into the phone. He pause for a moment, listening to what the woman was saying on the other line and then coaxed Amy to stand up. He tilted the mouthpiece away from his face and looked over at Steph. "Can you leave us for a minute?" he whispered to her pleadingly.

Steph straightened her spine and stood from the bed, slowly turning to walk out of the room while Bumper tugged Amy's towel to expose her body to his examining eyes. She glanced over her shoulder as she slowly pulled the door closed to see Bumper spin Amy around slowly so he could touch her bare back as the doctor instructed him to do. She bit her lip and begin to convince herself that he was just fawning all over Amy out of concern for his unborn child, but as she was slipping the door closed, she saw Bumper let out a relieved sigh, dropping the phone on the bed and wrapping his arms around Amy from behind, his lips pressing to her shoulder.

Steph saw herself out of the apartment.

* * *

Later that evening, Amy was resting on her side on her bed. She was dressed in a sweater and a pair of pregnancy leggings, fuzzy socks pulled up high on her calves. A body pillow was laid out beside her, her belly resting on it freeing her from the extra weight of the baby. Her fall earlier scared her half to death and she feared she hurt her baby, but luckily the doctor said she should be fine and that if she felt anything abnormal that she needs to head to the emergency room right away.

She was almost finished with her six month of pregnancy, about to enter her third trimester. She and Bumper had been living together fairly well for about two months, something that surprised them both. When they lived together as a couple, they fought constantly over the littlest things. Every day, Amy was reminded of a stupid fight they had and the more she analyzed the arguments, the more she realized she was the one who started them. 

She felt awful for the way she treated Bumper for all those years. She didn't realize she was doing it at the time, but when she did realize it, she tried fixing it by seducing him as a way of apology. It worked for a short amount of time, but then he became more and more angry and stopped giving in to her advances.

They broke up two days after the bathtub incident.

Amy ran a hand down her face, letting out a deep sigh. She had massive levels of guilt when it came to their relationship and she didn't even know where to begin when it came to apologizing. She was also terrified that if she drudged up the past then it would ruin the good thing they had going now. She had no idea what to do.

"Hey," Bumper's soft voice said from the doorway.

She lifted her head and looked at him, giving him a small smile. "Hey."

Bumper entered the room and sat on the bed behind her, his hand resting on her hip. "How're you feeling?"

Amy shrugged, craning her neck around to see him. "I'm okay, I guess. My back is just gonna hurt for a few days."

He nodded and slid his hand up to her belly. "And how's our little girl?"

At that, Amy became quiet, her eyes filling with tears again. Bumper look at her face when she didn't respond, his eyebrows drawn in concern.

Amy blinked back the tears. "She hasn't moved since I fell."

Bumper stared down at her, his chest tight. He cleared his throat, wracking his brain on what to do when it dawned on him. With a grin, Bumper lay himself down behind Amy, much to her surprise, and molded his chest to her back. He grabbed her hand and placed it under her stomach while his hand rubbed soothing circles over the rest of her belly. He rest his head on the pillow behind hers, feeling the little hairs at the back of her neck tickle his nose and he began to sing in her ear. 

After a few minutes of him singing sweet lullabies to her, they both felt a hard kick against their hands. They simultaneously gasped and looked down at her stomach. They waited patiently, but nothing happened until Bumper started to sing again. It only took seconds before they felt another kick and they both chuckled at the feeling, relief washing through their tense bodies.

"See, she's a fighter," he said, turning his head to find Amy's face a mere inch from his. "Just like her mommy."

Amy could feel his hot breath on her face, his eyes staring deep into her own. She felt butterflies mix with the sensation of her daughter kicking and opened her mouth to say something, anything.

"I'm so sorry," she blurted out.

Bumper seemed to break from his trance at her words and moved his head back slightly, his eyebrows furrowed. "Sorry for what, baby?"

Amy licked her lips and shifted so she was laying on her back, looking up at him as he loomed over her. "When we were dating, I treated you like shit. Yes, I did," she added when he opened his mouth to protest. "I caused all of our fights, I made you hate me-"

"Okay, no," he interrupted firmly. "I could never hate you, even if I tried. I got angry at you, yes, but I never hated you."

Amy sighed and laced their fingers together where they rest on her stomach. "I'm so sorry," she repeated on a whisper.

Bumper leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, too." At her confused look, he smiled. "It takes two to tango, Ames. I was the cause of our break up just as much as you were. But we're fine now... right?"

She nodded her head quickly, her eyes shining. "Yes," she breathed out. "For once, everything feels right. Even though we've had a whole fiasco of a day."

He chuckled, leaning his forehead against hers as she giggled with him. "Next time you need help, please call for me. And don't ever lock that bathroom door again."

Her giggles turned into full blown laughter at that, her hand that wasn't held by his reaching up and laying on the back of his neck. Their laughter slowly died down, their bodies once again becoming aware of their close proximity. She watched as he began to close the small distance between them and she would be lying if she said she wasn't pulling him closer. Just as their lips barely brushed, the sound of Bumper's phone went off in his pocket causing them to jump apart. He looked down at her, his eyes filled with remorse and then got off the bed, answering the phone call.

As he walked out of the room, Amy winced when she heard him greet Steph on the other line. She turned back on to her side and closed her eyes, willing herself to fall into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The following day, Bumper was sitting on the couch, scrolling mindlessly through tv channels when he heard the buzzer on the door. He muted the television and stood up, his socks shuffling across the hardwood floor. He hit the buzzer and the camera popped up, revealing his girlfriend on the stoop of the building. He smiled and unlocked the door for her, watching as she entered the complex. He unhooked the latch on the door and turned the deadbolt before going back into the living room. Amy was out with Aubrey and Beca, shopping for more maternity clothes so he was glad he was able to have the afternoon alone with Steph. He was concerned he was neglecting her a bit and felt bad, so he invited her over to hang out and offered to make her dinner.

Just as he reached the couch he heard the door open and close down the hall. "Hey, I'm in here!" he called out, leaning back on the plush furniture. High heeled footsteps made their way across the floor and Bumper looked up to see Steph step around the couch to face him. He frowned when he saw the pensive look on her face and sat up. "What's wrong?"

Steph let out a sigh, her hands buried in the pockets of her leather jacket. She glanced at the coffee table before she moved to sit on it, keeping her back straight and her face unreadable. "Bump, I think we should talk."

An unsettling feeling washed over him at those words. He knew where this was going and he did not like it. "Steph, if this is about Amy-"

"No," she waved her hands in front of her, shaking her head. "I mean, well, she's part of it, but it's mostly about us. And about you."

"Me?" he pointed to himself, his face scrunched up in guilt. 

Steph smiled, brushing her dark hair out of her face. "Bumper, you're an amazing guy. And I'm not just saying that - you're honestly one of the nicest men I've ever met. You come off cooky and goofy, but inside you're complete mush and I love that about you. We've only been dating for a few months, but I could totally see myself falling for you."

He watched a wave of different emotions flash through her eyes then, the most prominent one being sadness. "But...?" he asked, knowing she was hesitating.

Steph bit her lip and cleared her throat, her eyes flicking back and forth between his. "But you're in love with Amy."

His jaw dropped and a flood of denial ran through his mind, but none came forth from his mouth. He gawked at her, trying his hardest to deny her words, but found that he physically couldn't. He heard her sniffle and saw her drop her eyes to her shoes, looking defeated. "Steph," he whispered, reaching his hand out to grab hers on her knee. "I really like you. I have so much fun with you. And when we started dating over the summer, I was 100% in our relationship.... But Amy's pregnant and she's back in my life and I can't help but have all those feelings coming back. We were together a _long_ time."

"I know," she grinned again in reassurance. "And that's fine, Bumper. Honestly, it is. I'm not mad at you or at Amy. You two have something so special and it's obvious you're meant for each other." She tilted her head to catch his blushing face, making sure he heard every word she said. "The way you dote on her and know what she wants even before she wants it is something to be admired. It comes easily to you. And she adores you for it."

He sat back slightly, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know about that..."

"She does," Steph repeated. "She lights up when you're in the room, Bumper. She loves you and you love her."

Bumper was at a loss for words again, his mind racing. He knew this would be the last time he saw Steph and part of him felt sad, but the other part almost felt relieved. These feelings had been plaguing him for quite some time, but were never brought to the surface until she decided to end it. He let out a sigh and looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry."

Steph stood up and waved him off. "Don't be," she told him. "You just make sure you tell her how you feel. That little baby is coming into the world soon and she deserves parents who know they love each other."

Bumper stood as well and scratched the back of his neck with a shy grin. "Thank you, Steph," he said. He pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry things didn't work out for us."

Steph squeezed him tight one last time and then pulled away, her eyes a bit watery, but her expression confident. "Tell Amy goodbye for me," she said. "And tell her how you feel."

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I will."

They walked to the door together and Bumper placed a small kiss on her cheek before he closed the door. He stood there for a minute and took in a deep breath, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders as he released it.


	6. Chapter 6

_The sun was setting, an orange light drifting in through the partially closed curtains. On top of the covers on the freshly made bed lay the newly moved in couple, their bodies exhausted. After returning home from the World Championship, Amy and Bumper found an apartment not too far from campus so Bumper could still work as security while Amy joined a local theater and took some shifts at the nightclub, putting on her new performance of 'Fat Amy Winehouse'. It took two days for them to move in, most of their friends either moving out of state or too busy to help them move._

_They lay tangled together, Amy's leg draped over his hip, her upper half on his chest while Bumper lay on his back, his hand moving between playing with her hair and rubbing her back. _

_"I love moments like these." Even though he couldn't see her face, he knew she rolled her eyes._

_"Why do you make everything so corny?"_

_He frowned, running his fingers through her hair. "I don't mean to make it corny. I just wanted to tell you what I'm feeling in this moment."_

_She shifted from on top of him, her tiny foot sliding down his jean covered calf. She lifted her head and tilted it to look at him, her chin resting on his chest. "Why?"_

_Bumper looked down at her, his eyebrows knit together. "'Cause it's something normal people do when they're in a relationship?"_

_Her eyebrows raised up so high they were now hidden behind her bangs. "We are far from normal. We have the least conventional relationship out of anyone I know."_

_He wasn't sure what to say to that. He had to agree with her, nothing they did was normal, but he thought now that they were finally living together that they could get a semblance of normalcy in their relationship. Apparently, he was wrong. _

_"Hey," she whispered, gaining his attention from where he drifted off. "You okay?"_

_He should have spoken up. He should have told her exactly what he was feeling and help her understand that he wanted to be with her forever and just gush how much he loved her, but instead he shook his head, pushing everything down. _

_"I'm fine," he said with a small smile. "Just tired."_

_"I hope not too tired." A sly grin formed on her face and she moved so she was straddling him, her lips descending on his neck. "I think I have just enough energy in me for a quick root."_

* * *

"This one looks cute!" Aubrey exclaimed, pulling the pink fabric off the rack and holding it up to Amy. "What do you think?"

Amy looked at the maxi dress, her bottom lip jutted out in contemplation. "It does look pretty cute." She grabbed the dress from Aubrey and placed it in the cart, her eyes scanning the rest of the clothes.

Aubrey stared at Amy, her brows furrowed with concern. "Okay, what's going on?" she asked, gaining Amy's attention.

"Hmm?" the girl mumbled in confusion. "Nothing, why?"

"You're like a million miles away," Beca interjected from behind Amy. "You've been unusually quiet all day, Ames."

Amy looked between her two friends, trying to think of something to say that would explain her current mood. She had been trying to play it off all day that she was tired, but both girls knew her too well to accept that excuse. With a sigh, Amy hunched over the cart, her lower back killing her from the weight of the baby on her abdomen. "Something happened the other day," she confessed. "Between me and Bumper."

Dramatically, both girls gasped and took a step closer to listen intently to her story. 

"What happened?" Aubrey inquired curiously.

"Did you fuck?" Beca blurted, earning a glare from the two blondes. She blushed profusely. "Sorry, it slipped out."

"No," Amy shook her head. "We didn't fuck. But we almost... kissed?" Again, the girls gasped and Amy straightened her back, holding her hand out to them as if the gesture would make them stop. "Okay, enough with the dramatics."

"What do you mean you almost kissed?" Aubrey tilted her head to the side, looking strikingly similar to a confused puppy. "I thought he had a girlfriend?"

"He does," Amy told them. "The other day after I fell, we were laying in bed... Not sexually or anything," she added when she saw their raised eyebrows. "We were concerned the baby wasn't moving, but luckily she kicked for us. Anyway, we were just talking and the next thing I know we're about to kiss, but Steph called-"

Both girls let out a sound of annoyance, rolling their eyes and Amy couldn't help but laugh. 

"Stop it," she admonished them with a smile. "She's a really sweet girl."

"So that's it?" Beca said. "You guys didn't kiss cause he answered a call from his girlfriend?"

Amy shrugged. "Well, yeah. He got out of bed to talk with her and I fell asleep. We haven't really talked about it the past few days, just kind of ignoring the elephant in the room."

"Well," Aubrey said slowly. "Do you want to get back together with him?"

Amy was a little thrown off by the question. "I mean, I kind of accepted the fact that he's with someone and that we won't get together..."

"But?" Beca raised her eyebrow, knowing she had more to say.

Amy looked between her two friends, her face growing hot as she blushed. "I'd be lying if I said I don't love him."

The girls squeaked in excitement and Amy jerked back from their glee as they jumped in place. 

"Amy, you should tell him!" Aubrey told her, reaching out to grab her hand. 

"He has a girlfriend," Amy reminded her, her face incredulous. "I already fucked up our relationship, I'm not going to fuck up theirs."

Beca sighed, crossing her arms. "It's obvious he wants you, though. I've seen him around you, Amy. That boy loves you."

Amy's face fell, her eyes downcast. "He might love me, but he's not_ in love_ with me. Not anymore."

Seeing the sadness on her friend's face, Aubrey decided quickly that they needed to change the subject. She rubbed her hand up and down Amy's arm and looked to Beca before speaking up. "Well, I think we've bought all the clothes we can today. Why don't we head out for some lunch?"

Amy's mood perked up at the mention of food and as if the baby understood what was going on, she kicked Amy hard, making her grab her belly in surprise. "Yeah, food sounds good. Little one is getting feisty in there."

* * *

A few days later, Amy was laying on the couch, resting her eyes while the TV played some corny Lifetime movie in the background. She slept awful the night before, the baby keeping her up half the night and her back aching all over. She gave up on sleep and decided to get out of bed around 5am, just in time for Bumper to wake up so he could go to the studio for the morning radio gig he had just landed. He was surprised she was awake, but understood that her last few months of pregnancy were going to take a toll on her and decided to stick around a bit later to make her breakfast. He had waved goodbye to her after dishing out her scrambled eggs and then head out the door, leaving her and Ozzy alone.

Speaking of the small dog, Amy peeked her eyes open when she felt the animal jump onto the couch with her. She normally reprimanded the dog for getting on the furniture, but she just didn't have the strength today to say anything. She watched him as he sniffed around her swollen belly, his little paws tentatively pressing into her thigh. He looked up at her, his innocent eyes warm, and then he climbed up on to her stomach, curling around and laying down. 

"Ozzy," she sighed in annoyance, trying to shift her shoulders so she could sit up and get the dog off of her, but she found it difficult and fell back against the decorative pillows. The dog didn't budge and promptly fell asleep on top of her. Amy let out a huff of air and stared at the ceiling for a few moments, trying to figure out how to move. After a minute or so, she felt her eyes begin to drift closed, the warmth of the small dog on her belly bringing her comfort and relaxation that she hadn't felt in the past month. Within a few minutes, she and the dog were both sound asleep.

And that's how Bumper found them when he returned home a few hours later. He peered over the back of the couch to see Amy snoring peacefully with Ozzy curled up in a ball. He grinned at the sight and leaned over to place a kiss on Amy's forehead. 

Of course, the gesture caused the baby to kick and the dog yelped in surprise, hopping off the couch. He looked up curiously at Bumper and then began wagging his nub of a tail in excitement, his yapping bark waking up Amy. Bumper grabbed the dog, letting him lick his face and looked down apologetically at Amy. 

"Sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"I would say it's okay, but I totally blame you," she said as she struggled to sit up. "I swear this girl only moves when she's hungry or when I'm trying to sleep. Or when you're touching me."

He smirked at that and set the dog down to help her stand from the couch. "I'm gonna take Ozzy out for a walk." 

Amy nodded, stretching her arms as she yawned. "I'll come with you."

"You sure you don't want to go back to bed?" he asked, seeing the dark circles under her eyes.

She shook her head and began to walk around him towards the bathroom. "No, I doubt I'll fall back asleep. Let me just pee real quick. Your daughter is sitting right on my bladder."

Bumper watched her waddle down the hall for a moment and then looked down at the dog who was also watching Amy curiously. "Oz," he whispered and the dog looked up, his mouth dropping open as he panted. "Wanna go for a walk?"

The dog began to yap again and ran to the kitchen, sitting in front of the cabinet that held his leash and little doggy bags. Bumper chuckled and got the dog ready for the walk, scratching behind his ears once the leash was hooked to his collar. 

Amy emerged from the bathroom, tugging the sleeves of her sweater back down her arms. They walked silently to the door where their boots and coats were in the entryway and Bumper slid his arms into his coat as Amy attempted to step into her pink Ugg boots. He watched her with a smile as she struggled to look down over her belly to see her feet so she could put them in her shoe and chuckled when she failed every time.

Hearing his laughter, she smacked his arm and glared. "It's not funny! Help me, you bastard!"

Bumper laughed even harder, but handed her the dog leash so he could crouch down in front of her and help her slip into her boots. He looked up when both her feet were back on the ground and pressed a tender kiss to her stomach before standing up again. As he grabbed the leash back from Amy, he didn't notice the look of utter adoration that crossed her face at the gesture. 

Once they reached out the sidewalk, the cool hair hit them and made them both shiver violently. They shared a look as Amy slipped her arm through Bumper's and huddled close together as they began walking. 

"Let's make this a short walk, please," Amy stuttered out through her chattering teeth.

Bumper nodded and together they strolled down to the street corner, standing in a comfortable silence as Ozzy did his business. When a particularly strong wind picked up around them, Amy turned her body into Bumper's, her cold nose pressing against his neck. Bumper used his free hand to rub her back and he shivered slightly, but he wasn't sure it was from the cold air or her close presence. If he really thought about it, he would think the latter. 

Ozzy began hopping around them and barking at passersby so they decided to go back to the warmth of the apartment, just in time for Amy's stomach to growl and the baby to kick. They began to make small talk about their days, Bumper doing most of the chatting seeing as he actually interacted with people and all Amy did was sleep on the couch with the dog. With the front door closed behind them, Bumper took the leash off the dog to let him run in the apartment and then helped Amy out of her coat and boots. She immediately went into the kitchen to scrounge up something for a late lunch and Bumper followed closely behind. 

"Is Steph coming over for dinner?" she asked casually as she got out the fixings for a sandwich. She set the peanut butter on the counter and turned at his unusual silence, her eyebrow raised. 

Bumper stared at the counter top, his hand scratching the back of his head in a nervous gesture. "Uh, actually... Steph and I broke up?"

Amy stopped mid-grabbing a knife from the drawer and gawked at him. "What? When?"

Clearing his throat, Bumper shrugged. "A few days ago. Things weren't just... well, they weren't working out."

Amy's face flushed, her chest beginning to tighten in a slight panic. "It's not... it's not because of me, is it?"

Bumper finally looked up and saw her concerned face, his eyes widening. "No!" he breathed out, coming around the counter to stand beside her. "No, it's not. We weren't clicking the way we should have been. We wanted different things. It was very mutual, Amy. Do not think this is in any way your fault."

Amy slowly nodded, unsure if she believed him or not and went back to fixing herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Bumper leaned against the counter and watched her for a few minutes, his arms crossed over his chest. His hands twitched, wanting to reach out and just hold her, reassure her that his breakup was not her doing, but he was afraid of how she would react. Honestly, he wanted to hold her all the time; especially now that Steph was no longer in the picture, he found himself pining for his ex even more. 

"Stop staring at me."

Her voice brought him out of his thoughts and he blinked to see her standing in front of him, holding two plates with sandwiches and chips on them. He looked down at the plate and then back into her eyes and grabbed it from her as he mumbled, "Thank you."

They sat at the dining table together, the mood shifting in the apartment drastically at his news. Now it was awkward, like they were on a date and trying to gauge how the evening would end. Although, in their situation, it was less "_how the evening will go_" and more "_how the rest of our lives will go_". The tension was thick, the silence deafening, and their minds racing. 

Amy had to suppress the excitement that she felt building up inside her, making sure to keep her hopes in check so she wasn't disappointed later. She glanced up at Bumper and their eyes caught for a moment before they both looked away, almost shy. Amy quickly finished eating and stood from the table, leaving the plate on the table. She muttered something to him about taking a shower and thought she heard him grunt as she walked away, but shook her head and told herself she imagined it. 

Bumper stayed at the table, staring at his half eaten sandwich and tried to not think of Amy naked and wet in the shower. His thoughts continued to drift to the image of her soaping up her voluptuous body and he found his jeans suddenly way tighter in the crotch area. He swiftly stood up and threw the rest of his food away before grabbing her plate on top of his and began to wash them along with the rest of the dishes in the sink. The hot water dripped over his hands as he squeezed the soapy sponge over the plate, clearing the surface of the excess purple jelly that lay on it, but the plate was dropped suddenly when he heard Amy shouting from the bathroom. He left the sink on and ran down the hall to Amy's room, bursting through the bathroom door.

"Amy?!" he called out, reaching for the clear glass shower stall door she was standing behind. He pulled open the door to find Amy hiding away from the spray of the shower head.

She spun around when the door opened and she screamed which cause Bumper to scream. He ran into the small stall, fully clothed, and grabbed her face.

"Are you okay? What happened? Is it the baby?" he asked without taking a breath.

"No!" she exclaimed, slapping his hands away. "The water is fucking ice cold!"

It was at that moment that Bumper realized the hot water running in the kitchen made the water in the shower turn cold. 

"Amy!" he shouted, stepping back from her. "I thought you were hurt! I thought you fell again!"

"Well, I'm sorry! The water turned so quick that my first reaction was to scream! It's not my fault you bust down the door!"

They both started to yell over each other, the cold water still splashing them, Bumper's clothes soaked through and Amy stark naked. After a minute or so, they both stopped and stared at each other, the glares on their faces slowly dissipating to amusement. Simultaneously, they burst out laughing, realizing the silliness of their situation. Bumper reached over and shut off the shower, shaking his arms as if it would help dry his sopping clothes. He shook his head and stepped back out of the shower.

"Sorry," he said, pulling his shirt over his head. "I just had a flash to the other day when you fell out of the bathtub and I freaked out." He turned to face her, noticing her eyes drifting along his body and felt the tightness in his jeans return. 

Amy had stepped out of the shower too, her body slightly shivering, but her eyes couldn't help but roam his muscular torso. She subconsciously licked her lips and then shook her head, forcing herself to glance at his face. She noticed his eyes gleamed with that familiar look of lust that he used to get when they were together and her heart began to immediately thump faster in her chest.

They stared each other down, not realizing they were slowly inching closer and closer until her swollen belly was touching his abdomen. Bumper reached a hand up, cupping the side of her neck, his thumb brushing against her jaw, and Amy's breath hitched in her throat, her head tilting back slightly. He leaned down, keeping eye contact with her green orbs and their lips brushed lightly, but they both paused before they could kiss. Between them, they felt the baby kick right where their stomachs were touching. They smiled, glancing down before looking back at each other. 

"Amy, I..." he breathed out, his breath warm on her face, and Amy shook her head.

"Kiss me," she whispered.

And so he did. 


	7. Chapter 7

This was madness. His lips were like an addiction she couldn't shake. Her body throbbed with want and need for him and only him. His hands were everywhere; her back, in her hair, stroking her breasts - she couldn't keep track. Their tongues brushed so familiarly, their sighs mixing together. He stepped forward until she was pressed against the glass door of the shower and he molded their bodies together as much as her pregnant belly would allow. His mouth moved down to her neck and chest, encasing a pert nipple between his lips and she tossed her head back with a gasp, raking her fingers through his hair.

She eventually pulled him back up to her mouth and moved her hands between their bodies, unbuckling his jeans. They simultaneously worked to take off his pants and boxers and somehow ended up back inside the shower stall. Bumper reached over blindly, keeping his mouth on Amy's, and turned the shower back on. In their state of lust, they neglected to remember that the sink in the kitchen was still running hot water, so the sudden spray of freezing cold water hitting their bodies caused them to break apart in shock.

Amy quickly turned the shower off and they just stared at each other for a few moments. Their hair was matted to their foreheads, their bodies shivering from the cold water, but heated from the lust between them, and their breaths came out in heavy pants.

"Maybe this isn't a good idea," Amy spoke up first. She noticed his mouth open to protest and she held her hand up to stop him. "Why don't we dry off, get dressed, and talk?"

Bumper closed his mouth and nodded, moving to step out of the shower. Amy placed her hand on his forearm and he turned his head just in time for her to place a delicate kiss on his unsuspecting lips. A small glimmer of hope rushed through him at the small smile on her face when she pulled away and he grinned back.

Twenty minutes later they were both sat on the couch, dressed in some casual 'around the house' clothes. Bumper had made some tea to warm their still cold bodies and they each sipped on the drink in silence. Ozzy lay between them on a pillow, curled in a ball and snoring softly.

"First," Amy began, setting her mug on the coffee table. "I want to start out by saying I didn't mean you and I aren't a good idea. I meant that situation, in the shower... that wasn't a good idea."

"You think we're rushing it again?" he asked, rubbing his sweating palms on his jeans. He was nervous.

Amy bit her lip and looked at him as if she were trying to figure out the best way to answer his question. "I can't imagine we're rushing things, Bump," she said honestly. "We know each other like the backs of our hands. But you did just get out of a relationship-"

"A very short, barely invested relationship," he reminded her. "If I'm going to be completely honest, I only dated Steph to try and get over you. It obviously didn't work."

She sighed, leaning back against the couch, her hand subconsciously stroking Ozzy's furry head. "We have so much at stake here. We have a child to think about now. Not just ourselves."

He watched her, seeing the uncertainty in her eyes. "I don't want to mess this up again, Amy. I love you."

She blinked and licked her lips. "I love you, too."

The words were whispered, but they were still said. Bumper's face broke out into a huge smile, his emotions almost getting the better of him. That was the first time Amy had ever flat out said those words to him. He used to dream of this moment, wanting nothing more to hear her say to him how she felt. He scoot over to her, ignoring the yelp from Ozzy as he hopped off the couch, and cupped her face in his hand. "Please," he whispered. "Say it again."

Smiling, Amy tilted her chin up and pecked his mouth. "I love you."

Bumper crashed his lips to hers, his hand moving to her neck and his fingers tangling in her hair. Amy raised her hand up to rest on his bicep, opening her mouth to his teasing tongue. They pulled away after a moment, but kept their foreheads pressed together, their warm breaths mixing.

"I never thought I'd hear you say those words," he confessed on a whisper.

Her eyes teared up and she bit her trembling bottom lip. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head and kissed her again. "Forget about it," he mumbled against her lips.

Amy pressed her lips hard against his and scratched her nails along the side of his head, tilting her face to deepen the kiss. She felt a particularly hard kick from their daughter and reeled back from the kiss with a wince. "Damn!" she gasped, her hand rubbing along her stomach. "I think she's a bit excited."

Bumper grunted in response and leaned over to kiss her neck just below her jaw. "She's not the only one."

Amy giggled, enjoying his soft lips on her skin. "As much as I want to let you ravish me right now," she started, putting her hand to his chest. "I need to actually take a shower since I didn't get to finish the one I started earlier."

He let out a huff of frustration, dropping his head to her chest. "Can't I join you?" he asked, his voice muffled by her shirt.

"Sure," she laughed. "But only if you promise to _just_ take a shower."

He whipped his head up to look at her, his eyebrows furrowed. "Wha- we've done it in the shower before. Why can't we do it now?"

"Bumper!" Amy scolded him and then pointed to her over-sized stomach. "I'm seven months pregnant! What makes you think we're going to be able to fuck standing in the shower?!" 

His mouth formed a pout and he looked between her face and her stomach. "Oh."

* * *

"We should turn your room into the nursery."

Bumper lifted his head from where it rest by hers on the pillow. They were both freshly showered and dress in their pajamas. Amy's nightgown was soft and silky to the touch and Bumper loved the feel of it against his bare chest as he spooned her from behind. "What about the office? We already started setting everything up in there."

"Yeah, but the painting hasn't been done yet," she replied, turning her head to look up at him. "All we have to do is move your stuff out of the bedroom, paint it, then put the baby's stuff in. Speaking of..." She turned her body so she was now on her back and peered up at him as he partially hovered over her. "Aubrey planned a baby shower and we need to get the women in your family invited apparently. So call your mom."

His jaw dropped with a scoff. "You call my mom."

"She's _your_ mom!" Amy laughed, shoving him lightly.

"Amy," he whined, putting his face in her bosom. "You know what she's like. It's going to be a two hour phone conversation."

"And you'd rather me endure that?" she shrieked. She grabbed him by his hair and lifted his head up, their faces mere inches apart. "Come on, baby," she pouted at him before she leaned in and placed a tantalizing kiss on his lips. "I'll make it up to you."

"Mmm," he hummed against her mouth. "How so?" 

She yanked his head back, her hand still gripping his hair firmly and he grunted in pain. "Call your mom and you'll find out."

He let out a frustrated sound and crawled off the bed to grab his phone. Before he could walk out of the room, Amy called out to him. He turned to see her struggling to sit up and smirked. "Yes?"

"Help me up, jackass! I gotta pee!"

He chuckled and walked over to her, helping her stand and then watched her waddle in a hurry to the bathroom. He shook his head and then went to the living room to call his mom. He sat on the couch and dialed the number from memory, running a hand down is face and taking a deep breath in preparation for the most likely agonizing phone conversation. It rang a few times and then he heard the click and the sound of his mother's enthusiastic voice.

"My baby!" she exclaimed loudly. "What's going on? Is Amy okay?"

He smiled and leaned back on the couch, relaxing a bit. "She's fine, mom," he assured her. "How are things back home?"

"Oh, they're just fine," she said nonchalantly. "Why are you calling, dear? You never call unless you need something."

'_Here comes the guilt_,' he thought to himself before shaking his head. "Uh, well, Amy wanted me to call and ask if you can gather a list of people to invite to the baby shower."

She gasped in excitement and he could practically see her hopping in place in his head. "Yes, definitely! Oh honey, I can't wait to be a grandma. I'd feel much better about it if you two were married-"

"Mom..." he tried to interrupt, knowing where she was going with the conversation, but she continued on, ignoring him.

"I mean, honestly, Bumper, why the hell did you two break up? You're perfect for each other. This little baby is a blessing, it's bringing you two back together because you're supposed to be with each other. I was telling Shirley the other day - you remember our neighbor Shirley? Anyway, I was telling her how adorable you two were and she tells me her son got someone knocked up in high school and they split right when the baby was born and now he never sees his child and it's so heartbreaking, but I know you and Amy aren't like that. I mean, you're living together for Christ's sake-"

"Mom."

"And that Steph girl is all wrong for you, dear. I'm sorry, she's very nice, but she is not the girl for you and-"

"Mom!" he finally yelled. "Amy and I are back together!"

There was a short silence on the phone and then a piercing scream. Bumper pulled the phone far away from his face and rubbed his ear, a large smile on his mouth. 

"Oh thank God!" she exclaimed. "Oh this perfect! Now you and Amy can get married-"

"Okay, whoah," he quickly spoke up. "This literally happened today, mom. Let's not get carried away."

"You already got her pregnant, how is marriage getting carried away?"

Bumper rolled his eyes and sighed. "Please, mom. When you come in town for the shower, just please don't mention the word 'marriage'. We have enough on our plate right now with the baby."

"All right, all right," she acquiesced. "Well, listen, I'm going to get started on that list and I'll send it over as soon as possible, okay?"

"Thank you," he grinned. "I love you, mama."

"Love you, too, baby boy. Give Amy a hug and kiss for me, okay?"

"Will do."

They said a final goodbye and Bumper tossed the phone on the couch cushion next to him. He leaned his elbows on his knees and held his face in his hands, letting out a deep sigh. 

"How'd it go?" Amy's voice sounded as she entered the living room.

He lifted his head and smiled at her. "Just fine. She's gonna send us over a list." Amy nodded at him and tilted her head to the side, reaching her hand out for him to take. Bumper looked at her hand and then slowly grabbed it, standing from the couch. "Where are we going?" 

"To bed."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "But I thought-"

"Just because we can't have sex in the shower doesn't mean we can't have sex in bed..."

Twenty minutes later, Bumper was devouring her sensitive breasts as Amy throbbed beneath him. Her nightgown was pulled down just low enough for him to suck on her nipples, his hand caressing her inner thighs as he lay astride her. Amy's body was tingling with desire, but there was a nagging thought at the back of her head that kept telling her they shouldn't be doing this. She wanted him and loved him, no doubt, but she wasn't ready. Everything happened so fast in the past and she didn't want a repeat of their former relationship. 

"Bumper," she breathed out, her body shuddering when she felt his fingers brush the gusset of her panties. "Wait, we need to stop."

Surprisingly, he stopped right away, removing his mouth from her chest and his hand from between her legs. They stared at each other, their eyes heavy with lust and bodies aching with need. "Something feels wrong," he admitted.

Amy's eyes filled with tears and she nodded her head slowly. She watched as he fixed her nightgown so she was fully covered again and then lay beside her. "When we ran into each other all those months ago," she began with a raspy voice. "I was so sure that would be the last time. I hold that memory so close because while it broke my heart, it also mended it at the same time."

He nodded in agreement, turning his head to smile warmly at her. "I know what you mean. I thought I'd never see you again." He rolled on his side and pecked her kiss swollen lips, his arm draped over her stomach. "Why is it so difficult for us to be normal?"

A few stray tears fell down her cheeks, but she laughed. "I don't know, but I'm getting tired of it."

Bumper wiped the tears from her face. "So, we're gonna wait," he concluded.

Amy nodded, sniffling. "I don't think we're ready, yet."

He let out a sigh of relief. "I was kind of freaking out anyway," he confessed. "I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I was going to be inside you while our daughter is also inside of you..."

Amy shoved him back, her face scrunched up in revulsion. "Ew! That's disgusting!"

He laughed. "Well, I couldn't help think about it! I was starting to panic!"

She joined him in laughter, shaking her head. She reached up and grabbed him by the back of his neck, pulling him down to her. "Come here," she mumbled before pressing her lips to his. "I love you."

"I will never tire of hearing you say that."

Amy peered up at him, her nails tracing along the hairs at the back of his neck. "You know I've always loved you, Bumper," she told him, watching his reaction to her words. "I just-"

"Didn't know how to express your feelings?" he finished for her with a knowing smile and she nodded. He took in her guilty expression and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I think about that last time a lot - right before we broke up, in the bathtub?" He bit his lip, searching for his words. "I feel like I took advantage of you. It was out of anger and spite and you didn't deserve that."

"Okay stop," she smoothed her hand down from his neck to his jaw, cupping his face so she could look him straight in the eye. "We need to stop apologizing for the past, baby. We're only going to go in circles. And for the record, you didn't do anything that I didn't deserve. Granted, words should have done the trick, but we both know I was not good at listening back then..." She let out a small huff of laughter, but he didn't find her all that humorous in that moment and she frowned. "Promise me," she said in a demanding tone. "Promise me, right now, that the past is the past - We don't drudge up what we did or didn't do anymore. What only matters is right now and the future."

He searched her eyes, seeing the sincerity behind them and felt a weight lift from his shoulders. "I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dear God this was a SUPER SHORT chapter and I'm so sorry - I'm running out of steam on this one. It's mostly dialogue and I hate that, but I still hope you all like it.


	8. Chapter 8

Bumper set his tooth brush down in the cup next to Amy's and turned off the bathroom sink. He wiped a hand down his mouth and looked at himself in the mirror, stepping back to take in his outfit. People were going to arrive in the next ten minutes for the baby shower and he just needed to put the finishing touches on his person before checking on Amy's progress in getting ready. Aubrey spent the night so she could clean the apartment for them, claiming she was the one throwing the shower so she needed to take care of the prep. Amy thought about stepping in to help, but her aching back and swollen feet begged to differ, so she relaxed back against the couch while Aubrey frantically moved about the house. She eventually got booted from the living room to take a shower, Bumper following closely behind.

He turned off the bathroom light and stepped out into the bedroom to see Amy standing in front of the full length mirror, smoothing her hands over the maternity dress she and Aubrey picked out last week. It was a gorgeous wrap dress that was light pink in color. The stretchy material expanded over her very large eight month pregnant belly and draped over her hips, hitting the top of her knees. The long sleeves of the dress were bunched up around her elbows, indicating that she was currently overheated and her long blonde hair was tied up in a high ponytail. Bumper smiled and made his way over to her, his chest pressing into her back as his arms came around her middle, his palms settling on the top of her bump just below her breasts.

"You look gorgeous," he mumbled into her ear. He placed a delicate kiss on her neck and rest his chin on her shoulder, their eyes meeting in the mirror.

Amy relaxed back against him, her hands resting on top of his and sighed. "I'm _so_ over being pregnant," she commented. "I got to add 'leaking boobs' to the list of things I hate about pregnancy this morning."

He frowned, glancing down at her enlarged breasts. "Leaking boobs?"

"Yeah, it can happen right before birth. It's sticky and gross."

His hands twitched on her stomach, aching to touch her sensitive boobs and she glared at him.

"Don't you dare think about it," she said, her voice low.

Bumper shrugged innocently and smoothed his hands down to her lower belly, feeling for the unmistakable kick against his hand. "She moving a lot today?"

Amy hummed, grabbing his hand and moving it to the side where he could feel a tiny foot pushing against her skin into his palm. "She's been hanging out over here since last night. My bladder has never been so brutally attacked in my life."

He chuckled and turned his face to kiss her neck again. "Only a few more weeks and we'll have our girl."

Amy melted in his arms, tilting her head back so he could trail kisses over her neck and chin. "I can't wait." She turned her face as he looked up and their lips met in a slow, sweet kiss.

The sound of the doorbell ringing broke them apart with a sigh. He moved to stand in front of her and kissed the top of her stomach. Amy cupped his face and lifted him back up so she could press one final kiss to his lips and then they both walked out of the bedroom, their fingers laced together.

Aubrey came out of the guest bathroom and met them in the hallway that was beautifully decorated with various baby shower decorations and together they opened the door.

A redheaded blur came barreling towards them, enveloping Amy in a bone-crushing hug. Aubrey stepped back in shock and looked up to Bumper who was shaking his head with a soft chuckle.

"Mom, you're going to break her," he teased, tugging his mother's arms from around Amy.

Judith Allen loosened her tight grip around Amy and pulled back just enough to look between them at her belly. "My goodness, you're still carrying high."

Amy shrugged, stepping back from the woman and smoothed a hand down her stomach. "She hasn't dropped yet, no."

Judith smiled wide, shaking her head as she stared at Amy in adoration. Bumper cleared his throat and she flicked her eyes to her son. "Oh, yes, my baby boy!"

The two blondes laughed as Judith grabbed Bumper's cheeks and placed a big motherly kiss on his mouth. "I need your help, dear," she said as he wiped at his mouth in annoyance. "The present I got for you all was too big to carry up the stairs so I left it with the doorman."

Bumper frowned and looked at Amy who shrugged. "Okay, sure."

The two walked out of the apartment and Aubrey closed the door behind them, turning to Amy with a raised eyebrow. "So that's Judith?"

Amy nodded, rubbing her stomach absently. "Yup."

An hour later, everyone had arrived at the apartment. Laughter and conversation was heard all through the place and Amy was surprised to find herself comforted by the sound. She had been dreading this party ever since Aubrey announced she was throwing it, but she strangely found herself enjoying the chatter and banter from her friends and family. She sat back against the couch, picking at a piece of strawberry shortcake when she felt something tug her dress. She glanced down and saw baby Bella who just learned to pull herself up, smiling at her.

Amy looked around for Stacie, but didn't find the tall woman anywhere so she turned her attention back to the baby. She set her cake down on the cushion beside her and picked the girl up under her arms, lifting her on to the couch. "Hi Bella," she grinned. The ten month old smiled a gummy grin up at Amy, her dark hair falling in front of her large brown eyes. Amy grabbed the butterfly hair clip that was supposed to pull the girl's hair out of her eyes and pinned Bella's bangs back. "There ya go."

Bella reached a hand out, grabbing the collar of Amy's dress and began talking to her with various sounds of "bop bop bah's" and "mee mah moh's". Amy nodded and listened intently to the infant, responding with her own baby talk back.

"There she is," came Stacie's voice as she rounded the couch. "Ever since she learned to crawl I feel like I can never find her."

Amy beamed at her friend. "She's been keeping me company," she told her. "We're having a wonderful chat."

Stacie pulled her daughter into her lap, tickling her belly and receiving some delighted squeals. "Are you telling Aunt Amy all your secrets? Are you? Silly girl."

"Amy," Judith called out from across the room.

Amy twisted her head around to see the woman waving her over toward a group of other older women and her stomach dropped. She glanced at Stacie who gave her a sympathetic expression. With a sigh, Amy started to scoot off the couch, her belly restricting her from bending. Bumper, seeing her out of the corner of his eye, rushed over and grabbed her hands. He helped stand her up and received a kiss of gratitude from her before she waddled over to his mother and her friends.

"She's going to be a great mom."

Bumper tore his eyes away from his girlfriend to look at Stacie who was now standing beside him with Bella in her arms. He smiled at the little girl who bashfully laid her head on her mother's shoulder, peeking at him through a strand of Stacie's long dark hair. "Yes, she is."

* * *

Later that evening, Bumper, Amy, and a few of the Bella's had just finished cleaning up the apartment after everyone left. Bumper's mom was staying at a hotel a few blocks away and they promised her a brunch date before she left the city. Beca was sat on the couch with Chloe, her eyes scanning the pages of the baby name book they had picked up from the hospital all those months ago when they confirmed Amy's pregnancy. They were giggling in hushed whispers, pointing to the pages and it piqued Amy's interest.

"What are you two lovers doing?" she asked casually as she waddled over to them. She had just changed out of her dress into a large t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. She rocked from side to side as she stood in front of the couch, her hands rubbing her stomach with a slight grimace covering her face. Braxton-Hicks had just kicked in last week and Amy quickly learned to remain calm when the pains hit her body since Bumper had a full-blown panic attack the first time she had a contraction.

Chloe and Beca glanced at each other and then up at Amy. "We're not lovers," Beca grumbled.

Chloe gestured to the book and grinned. "We were looking at baby names again. Have you and Bumper picked one out?"

"We have not," Bumper chimed in as he stalked over from the kitchen, Aubrey trailing behind. He stepped behind Amy and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as she breathed slowly in and out. "Are you okay?" he mumbled in her ear, earning a slight nod as a response.

"Well now that you have everything for the nursery," Aubrey said as she glanced at the pile of gifts in the corner they opened earlier. "It seems like a name is the last thing to check off on your list." She sat on the couch beside Chloe, grabbing the book from her hands.

"Besides give birth," Beca smirked.

Aubrey stuck her tongue out at the brunette and flipped a page in the book. Chloe leaned over her shoulder and gasped, pointing a finger to a name. "I like this one! Clitorissa…"

Aubrey narrowed her eyes and looked at the name harder. "That says _Clarissa_."

"Oh."

Bumper snorted into Amy's neck when he took notice of the blushes rising on both Beca and Chloe's faces. He lifted his head and began to guide Amy to the chair adjacent from the couch, practically forcing her to sit down. "We honestly have barely discussed names."

"Well, you still have a few weeks," Beca told them with a shrug. "Maybe one will just hit you once you finally see her."

"Mmm," Amy grunted, leaning back into the chair, trying to relieve her sore back. "I have a few names on mind actually."

"You do?" Bumper questioned, surprised. He placed his hands on her shoulders behind the chair and began to massage them. "You haven't said anything."

"Well, we've been busy," she gestured to the room. "They're just little random thoughts I have when I can't sleep. It's no big deal." She sighed as he dug his knuckles into a knot on her shoulder. "Oh my God, that feels amazing."

The girls on the couch admired the love and care Bumper was giving his girlfriend and smiled warmly. Aubrey glanced at her friends and closed the name book, uncrossing her legs to stand. "Well, ladies, I think it's time we head out. Mama looks exhausted."

Beca and Chloe mumbled in agreeance and stood as well, slipping their feet back into their heels. "We'll get out of your hair," Chloe told the couple. She walked over and leaned down to peck Amy's mouth. "Bye gorgeous." She winked at the blonde and smiled at a slightly confused Bumper before spinning on her heels.

Bumper watched as both Beca and Aubrey gave Amy the same treatment, kissing her sweetly before turning to grab their coats. He scratched his neck and reminded himself to ask his girlfriend just what exactly she and her friends got up to when they all lived together. He walked them out the door, thanking them for the baby shower and all the help Aubrey did before closing and locking the door behind them. When he returned to the living room, he found it empty. He frowned and turned out all the lights around the room and then head towards the bedroom. His eyes widened when he saw Amy bent over the bed, her arms resting on the comforter and her forehead resting on top of her tightly clasped hands.

"Amy-"

"It's okay," she interrupted him, knowing he was about to freak out. "I just needed a moment. It was a pretty hard contraction."

Bumper ran his hand down her back and began to massage her lower back muscles that were tensed up. "Amy, you'll tell me-"

"Yes," she laughed before letting out a low moan. "You will definitely know when I go into labor, Bumper."

He sighed, feeling her starting to relax beneath his hands. "You worry me, Ames."

She stood up, letting out a long breath and turned to face him. "I know I do. But I'm fine. I promise." She kissed his pouty lips once and then twice more, deepening the kiss until he opened his mouth for her. The heat between them amplified and his hand that was on her waist crept up to her sensitive breast. Amy hissed and parted their mouths, grabbing his wandering hand.

"Oh God," Bumper gasped, stepping back. "I'm so sorry. Did that hurt?"

Amy grinned and ran her hand down his cheek. "I'm just tender," she assured him. Her eyes darted between his and she bit her lip. "I really want you."

Bumper grabbed her hand from his face and laced their fingers together. "I want you too, but we can't." He chuckled when she let out an annoyed whine and smacked her forehead to his chest, leaning heavily against him. "Get in bed, mama. I need to change."

Amy lifted her head and glared at him, but silently did as he said. Bumper took off his clothes and went into the bathroom to get himself ready for bed. Amy lay back on the bed, kicking her sweatpants off her body since she knew she would probably be blazing hot in a few minutes due to her hormones. Her shirt rode up on her belly and she lifted it the rest of the way up until it was bunched under her breasts. She began to hum and trace the small hand that was pressing into her skin, but then a hard kick came out of nowhere and she gasped. "Oi, watch it, little girl."

Bumper laughed as he entered the room, shaking his head. "Disciplining our little girl even before she's out of the womb?"

Amy shrugged. "Gotta start early."

He climbed into the bed and switched off the lamp, the room now immersed in darkness. They both lay on their backs, staring at the ceiling. The moonlight shone in from the window, illuminating the bed. A comfortable silence fell over them for a minute before Amy cleared her throat.

"Luna."

Bumper turned his head, his eyes squinting to see her. "What?"

Amy smiled and tilted her head, catching his eye. "I like the name Luna."

He glanced at her belly and then back at her face. A grin tugged at his lips and he nodded. "Luna Jae Allen."

She raised her eyebrows, her eyes shining. "You remember my middle name?"

"Baby, I know everything about you."

She rolled her eyes, but the smile was still on her face. Bumper moved over and molded his body into her side, his lips finding hers in the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii I've been sitting on this for like a week. I know it's not any good, but I just needed to get it out of the way and posted so I can move on to the next chapter lol


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